U.S. President Donald Trump attended a peace summit on Oct. 13 in Egypt, where he, alongside the leaders of Turkey, Egypt, and Qatar, signed a declaration to end the war in the Gaza Strip, marking a major milestone in regional peace efforts and signaling what he called a “new beginning” in the Middle East.
Trump was flanked by the leaders of countries that played the key mediating role in the initial phase of the peace deal.
“After years of suffering and bloodshed, the war in Gaza is over,” Trump said during the summit.
Nearly 30 country leaders or representatives joined Trump in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh, alongside U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Attendees included heads of state from the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Canada, Turkey, Jordan, Qatar, Indonesia, and Pakistan.
“The momentous breakthrough that we are here to celebrate tonight is more than the end of the war in Gaza. With God’s help, it will be a new beginning for the entire Middle East,” Trump told world leaders.
During the signing of the agreement, Trump announced that the second phase of the deal between Israel and the Hamas terrorist group had begun.
His 20-point plan to end the war, released on Sept. 29, calls for the demilitarization of Hamas and the temporary governance of the Gaza Strip by a “Board of Peace,” measures that are expected to be implemented during this next phase of the peace plan.
The declaration signed on Oct. 13 reads: “We, the undersigned, welcome the truly historic commitment and implementation by all parties to the Trump Peace Agreement, ending more than two years of profound suffering and loss—opening a new chapter for the region defined by hope, security, and a shared vision for peace and prosperity.
“We support and stand behind President Trump’s sincere efforts to end the war in Gaza and bring lasting peace to the Middle East.”
As co-chair of the summit, Trump personally greeted and welcomed leaders from all attending countries.
Earlier in the day, the world watched emotional scenes of Israeli hostages reuniting with their families and Palestinian prisoners returning home—moments of joy and relief unfolding across Israel and the Gaza Strip.
Before heading to Egypt, Trump made Israel his first stop in the Middle East, where he delivered a historic address before the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset.
As Trump landed in Israel, celebrations were underway with the release and return of the 20 remaining Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip. At the same time, more than 250 Palestinian prisoners and more than 1,700 detainees from the Gaza Strip were freed under the terms of the cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
So far, only four of 28 bodies of deceased hostages have been returned to Israel. Hamas claimed that it needed more time to recover the bodies of the hostages, according to local Israeli media.
The war between Israel and Hamas began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led terrorists crossed the border into Israel and killed some 1,200 people before taking 251 people hostage and transporting them back into the Gaza Strip, where they were held captive.
“We are united in our determination to dismantle extremism and radicalization in all its forms,” the Gaza peace declaration states.
After arriving in Sharm el-Sheikh, Trump first joined a bilateral meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. He lauded Sisi for his crucial role in facilitating the cease-fire deal that brought Hamas to the negotiating table.
“Hamas respects this country, and they respect the leadership of Egypt,” Trump said.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas also attended the summit. No Hamas representatives were present at the gathering in Sharm el-Sheikh.
Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman skipped the summit, sending the kingdom’s foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, in his place. Similarly, United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan did not attend the summit, with Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan representing the country instead.
China and Russia sent no representatives to the peace summit.
“This is the first time the Middle East crisis has brought people together, as opposed to driving them apart,” Trump said during his remarks.
Trump’s Knesset Speech
Trump received a rousing welcome in the Israeli Parliament. During his remarks at the Knesset, Trump reflected on the suffering endured on both sides and called the moment “the historic dawn of a new Middle East.”
“This will be remembered as the moment that everything began to change and change very much for the better,” Trump said. “Like the USA right now, it will be the golden age of Israel and the golden age of the Middle East.”
He also listened to speeches by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Yair Lapid before taking the podium.
Trump became the fourth U.S. president to address the Knesset, following Presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush.
During his visit to Israel, Trump also met with Israeli hostages and their families.
In his speech, Trump declared that “the long and painful nightmare is finally over,” saying that as the region recovers, a brighter future is now within reach.
In his address to the Knesset, Netanyahu described Trump as “the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House” and called the day “momentous.”
“Under your leadership, we can forge new peace treaties with Arab countries in the region and Muslim countries beyond the region,” Netanyahu said.
Trump also expressed hope that the Abraham Accords will be expanded to include more countries.
He also offered an olive branch to Iran.
“We are ready when you are, and it will be the best decision that Iran has ever made,” Trump said regarding a deal with Iran.
The Egyptian government initially announced that Netanyahu would join the Oct. 13 summit in Sharm el-Sheikh alongside Trump and other world leaders. However, Netanyahu’s office later clarified that he would not attend.
During his speech to the Knesset, Trump praised U.S. special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff for his efforts to broker a peace deal, likening him to Henry Kissinger, an influential U.S. diplomat who served under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford.
“I wondered if I would ever see this day,” Witkoff wrote on X before the release of hostages. “It’s deeply gratifying to know that so many families will finally have their loved ones home.”
Sisi’s office has stated that Egypt will award Trump the country’s highest civilian honor, the Order of the Nile, for his achievements in stopping the war between Israel and Hamas.
The award, a pure gold collar containing symbols from Egypt’s Pharaonic era, will recognize Trump’s “distinguished contributions to supporting peace efforts, defusing conflicts, and most recently, his pivotal role in ending the war in Gaza.”
“I’m deeply honored to receive from you Egypt’s highest state honor,” Trump said during his speech.
The second phase of the peace deal calls for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. Trump said numerous countries had expressed willingness to assist in rebuilding the region.
In February, the World Bank estimated that the cost of rebuilding the Gaza Strip and restoring economic activity would be $53 billion.
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