FIFA president and more than twenty global leaders join peace summit in Egypt as Netanyahu chooses not to attend

Peace Summit in Sharm el-Sheikh

On Monday, leaders from at least 27 nations, including kings, diplomats, prime ministers, and presidents, convened in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh for a “peace summit.” This gathering was focused on finding a resolution to the ongoing Gaza war.

President Trump and Egyptian President Sisi led the discussions, with notable figures like FIFA President Gianni Infantino and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in attendance.

The summit’s objective is to reinforce plans aimed at stabilizing the war-affected Gaza Strip and ensuring that the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas holds.

In a private conversation with Trump, President Sisi emphasized the need to solidify the ceasefire, retrieve the bodies of those lost, and increase humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was not present at the summit, though Trump indicated he would extend an invitation to him. Netanyahu’s office cited scheduling conflicts as the reason for his absence, noting he had prior vacation plans.

Reports suggest that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan cautioned Sisi that he would not attend if Netanyahu was invited to the summit.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who has expressed a willingness to collaborate with Trump on a peace initiative, also participated in the discussions.

Other regional leaders included Turkey’s Erdogan, Qatar’s Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Kuwait’s Prime Minister Ahmad Al Abdullah Al Sabah, Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani, UAE Vice President Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Al Busaidi, and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

This summit occurred after Trump received a warm reception during his address to Congress earlier that day.

Earlier, Hamas had released 20 Israeli hostages, and they accepted the peace plan proposed by Trump. Israeli cabinet members approved it the following day. A ceasefire has been maintained since last Friday, with humanitarian aid flowing into Gaza.

European leaders also participated, including French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gare Store, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.