Cairo , Egypt – October 14, 2025
A new era of harmony has been declared in the Middle East, with President Donald Trump taking a “victory lap” at a historic Mideast Peace Summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, where world leaders formalized a comprehensive deal to end the conflict in Gaza.
The gathering, co-chaired by President Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, was hailed by participants as a monumental turning point, despite the notable absence of Israeli and Hamas representatives. The summit served as the official inauguration of the US-brokered plan, which is intended to usher in a new chapter of stability, security, and opportunity for the region, transforming decades of conflict into a foundation for lasting peace.
President Trump, having secured the initial phase of his peace plan, which included a ceasefire and the exchange of all remaining living Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, arrived in Egypt from a whirlwind visit to Israel.
Speaking at the summit, he proclaimed, “This is the day that people across the region and around the world have been working, striving, hoping and prayed for.”
He urged the assembled leaders to seize a “once-in-a-lifetime chance to put the old feuds and bitter hatreds behind us.”
The ceremonial signing saw Trump, President El-Sisi, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan affix their names to a joint declaration, officially endorsing the agreement between Hamas and Israel.
The deal, which Trump described as “very comprehensive,” is set to outline the intricate rules and regulations for the future of the Gaza Strip and formalize frameworks for humanitarian assistance and longer-term peace discussions.
The diplomatic triumph, however, was not without its complexity. While Egyptian President El-Sisi praised Trump as the “only one capable” of bringing about peace and announced he would award the former U.S. President the ‘Order of the Nile,’ the highest Egyptian state honour, the path forward remains fraught with profound challenges. Critically, the parties central to the conflict—Israel and Hamas—did not send delegations. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cited a conflict with a Jewish holiday for his absence. The absence underscored the reality that the most difficult negotiations over the future of Gaza—governance, reconstruction, and the fate of Hamas—still lie ahead.
El-Sisi reiterated Egypt’s official stance that a two-state solution remains the only viable path to achieve the ambitions of both Palestinians and Israelis. This point was conspicuously absent from Trump’s public remarks at the summit, reflecting a persistent diplomatic rift on the long-term vision for the region.
Reconstruction aid for the devastated Gaza Strip was a major theme of the summit. President Trump announced that “numerous” wealthy countries had already committed substantial funds to the rebuilding effort, emphasizing that this investment was crucial for ensuring stability and success in the Middle East. The sheer scale of the humanitarian and reconstruction task is monumental, a factor that has brought many international players to the table, including Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Their presence signals a broad, if cautious, international commitment to the peace framework.
The peace plan now mandates the establishment of an international transitional body, the “Board of Peace,” which President Trump himself is slated to head. This body will oversee a Palestinian committee composed of experts, taking on the responsibility for Gaza’s future governance, security, and humanitarian relief. This unprecedented arrangement places the former U.S. President at the center of the region’s long-term political destiny, a role that will define his legacy in the coming years. Despite the celebratory atmosphere of the signing, the delicate nature of the ceasefire was highlighted by reports of a temporary halt to aid trucks entering Gaza on Monday, citing the hostage and prisoner exchange as the reason for the closure. This pause served as a stark reminder of the fragile hope upon which this “new era of harmony” rests. For the agreement to truly hold up, as Trump has claimed it will, the international community’s focus must now shift from the pomp of the signing ceremony to the difficult, granular details of implementation. This peace, described as “3,000 years” in the making, now requires sustained political will from every signatory.
Headline Points
* Historic Peace Deal Signed: President Donald Trump and leaders from over 20 nations signed a document in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, officially inaugurating the Gaza peace plan.
* Absence of Key Parties: Neither Israel nor Hamas sent representatives to the summit, highlighting the ongoing political challenges in implementing the agreement.
* Transitional Body Announced: The summit confirmed the creation of a new international body, the “Board of Peace,” to be chaired by Donald Trump, with the mandate to oversee Gaza’s governance and reconstruction.
* Egyptian Praise and Honour: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi lauded Trump’s mediation, calling him “the only one capable” of achieving peace, and announced he would be awarded the ‘Order of the Nile.’
* Focus on Reconstruction: Major world powers pledged significant financial commitments to rebuild Gaza, which has been severely damaged during the two-year conflict.
* A Call for Harmony: Trump declared a “new era of harmony,” urging leaders to move past “old feuds” and focus on the future stability and prosperity of the Middle East.
