In a dramatic announcement, U.S. President Donald Trump declared that the Gaza war is officially “over” as he departed for Egypt to attend a high-stakes peace summit aimed at cementing the end of the two-year-long Israel-Hamas conflict. The summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, set for Monday, will bring together key world leaders in what could be Trump’s most significant diplomatic breakthrough of his second term.
Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan, jointly mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and Turkiye, marks the first major success of his renewed Middle East strategy. Sources said the agreement came after Trump’s direct negotiations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas representatives, pushing both sides toward a compromise that includes a full ceasefire and the release of remaining hostages.
Before arriving in Egypt, Trump is scheduled to stop in Israel, where he will meet Netanyahu and address the Knesset. “Everyone was cheering at one time — that’s never happened before,” Trump told reporters while boarding Air Force One. “Usually if one side celebrates, the other mourns. But yesterday and today, around 500,000 people in Israel celebrated, and so did many in Muslim and Arab countries.”
The Gaza conflict, which began on October 7, 2023, saw Hamas militants storm into Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Since then, about 67,000 Palestinians have reportedly been killed in Israeli strikes, according to Gaza authorities. As part of the ceasefire, Hamas has agreed to release the remaining 20 hostages and return the bodies of about 20 others who died in captivity.
The upcoming summit will include UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, French President Emmanuel Macron, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, among others. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was invited but will be represented by Minister of State Kirti Vardhan Singh, officials confirmed.
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty expressed optimism, telling CBS News that the next stage of the peace plan involves Hamas laying down its arms. He added that Egypt and Jordan are preparing to train a 5,000-strong Palestinian security force for deployment in Gaza. While an international force may follow, it will require UN Security Council endorsement, Abdelatty said.
Under Trump’s blueprint, a “Board of Peace” chaired by him will oversee Gaza’s reconstruction. Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair will lead the board’s operational wing. The plan bars Hamas from governance and instead proposes a temporary administration composed of “qualified Palestinians and international experts.”
Trump emphasized humanitarian priorities as part of his vision for Gaza’s recovery. “You have to get people taken care of first — but it’s going to start, really, essentially immediately,” he said aboard Air Force One. Following the deal, Israel lifted restrictions on humanitarian aid, allowing the UN to confirm the entry of food, medicine, and tents into the ravaged enclave.
