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Donald Trump has declared a “historic day” that he hopes will mark the beginning of “rebuilding Gaza,” following the signing of a peace agreement at a global summit in Egypt.
Speaking aboard Air Force One on his return from Sharm el-Sheikh — where world leaders met on Monday — the US president said the deal fulfilled the “prayers of millions.” The agreement secured a ceasefire in Gaza and led to the return of all surviving Israeli hostages to their families.
When asked whether the deal could pave the way for a Palestinian state, Mr. Trump replied: “We’re talking about rebuilding Gaza — not about one state or two states. The focus is on reconstruction.”
As part of his long-term 20-point peace plan, Mr. Trump proposed creating a “board of peace” to supervise a transitional authority for Gaza. He would chair the board and has suggested a role for Sir Tony Blair, who attended the summit alongside his successor, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Trump said: “We’ve achieved what everyone said was impossible. At long last, we have peace in the Middle East.”
Earlier, Mr. Trump, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani signed a document outlining the framework for Gaza’s future — though its contents have not been made public.
The president traveled to Egypt after a high-profile visit to Jerusalem, where he received a warm welcome and multiple standing ovations while addressing the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, despite interruptions from some lawmakers.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Mr. Trump as Israel’s “greatest friend.” In his speech, Trump said: “After so many years of unceasing war and constant threat, today the skies are calm, the guns are silent, and the sirens are still. This marks the beginning of a grand era of harmony for Israel and the entire region.”
The summit followed last week’s ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas — the first major step toward ending the two-year conflict in Gaza.
The war began after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attacks, which killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages. Since then, more than 67,000 Gazans have been killed, according to Palestinian health officials, roughly half of them women and children.
On Monday, Hamas released all 20 surviving hostages and returned the bodies of four others. Under Trump’s peace terms, Hamas was given 72 hours to return the remaining 48 hostages — 20 alive and 28 deceased — though the group has said locating all the bodies could take longer.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum condemned Hamas for violating the deal, calling it “a clear breach of the agreement.”
Among the leaders in attendance at Sharm el-Sheikh were Sir Keir Starmer, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, and France’s Emmanuel Macron.
Sir Keir said the UK could play a vital role in enforcing the truce: “What happens next is crucial. The UK, drawing on its experience in Northern Ireland, can help monitor the ceasefire and work toward decommissioning Hamas’s weapons. The key now is ensuring this peace process moves forward without any missteps.”
