Trump, Netanyahu, and Sisi push ahead with landmark Sharm el-Sheikh summit; Modi invited to attend
Gaza: The long-awaited Gaza peace deal faces fresh uncertainty after Hamas announced it will boycott the official signing ceremony in Egypt, denouncing key aspects of former US President Donald Trump’s proposal as “absurd.”
A senior Hamas leader told AFP that the group rejects any clause suggesting its members—or any Palestinians—should leave the Gaza Strip under the deal’s terms. “Talk about expelling Palestinians, whether they’re Hamas members or not, from their land is absurd and nonsense,” said Hossam Badran, a member of Hamas’s political bureau. He warned that the second phase of the plan would be “fraught with complexities and difficulties.”
Trump’s High-Stakes Middle East Visit
Trump is set to embark on a high-profile diplomatic mission to Israel and Egypt beginning Sunday, marking his first visit to the region since brokering the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
According to his schedule, Trump will depart Washington on Sunday afternoon, arriving in Tel Aviv early Monday. His itinerary includes a private meeting with families of Israeli hostages and a speech before the Knesset.
The centrepiece of his trip will be a peace summit in Egypt’s resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh, co-hosted by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. The signing ceremony — slated for Monday afternoon — aims to formalize the first phase of Trump’s 21-point Gaza Peace Plan, which calls for a ceasefire, phased troop withdrawals, and Hamas’s eventual disarmament.
Modi Invited to Peace Summit
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has received a last-minute invitation to attend the Sharm el-Sheikh summit, according to The Indian Express. The invitation reportedly came jointly from Trump and Sisi on Saturday.
The PMO has yet to confirm Modi’s attendance, but officials said the summit — expected to draw representatives from over 20 countries — will “focus on ending the Gaza war and launching a new framework for Middle East stability.”
Ceasefire in Effect as Deal Begins
A fragile truce took hold on Friday as Israel pulled troops from parts of Gaza, allowing thousands of displaced Palestinians to return home.
Under the agreement, Hamas must release the remaining 47 Israeli hostages — both living and deceased — by noon Monday, including one captive held since 2014. In return, Israel will free 250 prisoners, among them several convicted of deadly attacks, along with 1,700 Gazans detained since the war began.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who ended the previous truce in March, warned that Israel would “resume military operations” if Hamas fails to comply or refuses to disarm.
War’s Devastating Toll
Israel’s months-long offensive has left a staggering toll. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry reports at least 67,682 deaths, figures the United Nations deems credible. The war was triggered by Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack, which killed 1,219 people in Israel, mostly civilians.
To ensure stability, the US military will lead a multinational coordination task force — likely involving Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the UAE — though no American troops will enter Gaza.
As the world watches, Trump’s Sharm el-Sheikh summit could mark either a historic breakthrough or another failed attempt at peace in a region long scarred by war.
