On October 13, 2025, the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt became the unlikely stage for a diplomatic spectacle that has been hailed by some as a breakthrough, and by others as political theater. U.S. President Donald Trump, flanked by leaders from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, presented what he called a historic peace deal: the Trump Declaration for Enduring Peace and Prosperity. The document, just 462 words long, was signed by a cluster of international dignitaries—but notably did not include representatives from either Hamas or Israel, the two parties at the heart of the conflict.
Trump, never one to underplay his achievements, declared, “not only the end of war, this is the end of the age of terror and death.” According to The Christian Science Monitor, the deal’s blueprint “rests on the hope that what worked in Northern Ireland will work in Gaza, and on one assumption above all: that Israelis and Palestinians are ready to accept that continued violence won’t get either of them what they want.” Yet, this assumption is a hefty one—and as observers have pointed out, there’s little evidence to support it.
The ceasefire agreement, as outlined in the Trump Declaration, is transactional and externally imposed, lacking the painstaking diplomacy and intricate power-sharing arrangements that characterized landmark accords like the Good Friday Agreement and the Dayton Accords. Instead, the deal’s immediate focus is on two major steps: halting the fighting and facilitating the release of hostages and prisoners. On Monday, the release of all remaining living Israeli hostages and nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners was announced, a move that French President Emmanuel Macron described as a “historic day” for both Israelis and Palestinians. British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer echoed the sentiment, telling Trump, “President Trump, this is your achievement. I thank you for your tireless efforts to deliver this moment.”
Despite the optimism, the agreement’s limitations are stark. There is no clear plan for the disarmament of Hamas, nor is there a concrete blueprint for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. The text remains vague on these critical points, and the future of Gaza’s governance is left largely unaddressed. Trump’s initial 20-point peace plan gestures toward a “credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood” during Gaza’s redevelopment, but at the signing ceremony, the president steered clear of the topic. When pressed about a two-state solution, Trump replied, “We’ll have to see. I’m not talking about a single-state or double-state or two-state. A lot of people like the one-state solution, some people like the two-state solution. We’ll have to see.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for his part, has long ruled out a separate Palestinian state, despite mounting international pressure. The plan also proposes a temporary transitional government body to oversee Gaza’s public services, led by both Palestinian and international experts. Among those tapped for this body is former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who attended the summit in Egypt. Hamas, however, has rejected Blair’s involvement, telling Sky News that his participation is unwelcome.
Even the headline achievements of the ceasefire have been marred by complications. Only four of the 28 deceased hostages expected to be returned to Israel were actually handed over on Monday. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum described the shortfall as “a blatant breach of the agreement by Hamas,” urging mediators and the Israeli government to ensure accountability. The International Committee of the Red Cross, which supervised the exchanges, emphasized, “All parties must ensure that the return of human remains is done under dignified conditions, and uphold dignity and humanity.”
Tensions quickly resurfaced on the ground. The Israel Defense Forces reported on Tuesday that several people had approached military positions beyond the current withdrawal line in Gaza, prompting Israeli troops to open fire “to remove the threat.” According to Gaza health authorities, six Palestinians were killed in two separate incidents, despite the ceasefire. Meanwhile, Palestinian families claimed that many released prisoners had suffered mistreatment, and fears of civil war in Gaza have been stoked by reports of Hamas executing members of rival groups.
The scale of devastation in Gaza is staggering. Since the conflict erupted on October 7, 2023—when Hamas launched a terror attack in Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 250 hostages—more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry’s figures, relied upon by humanitarian groups and international bodies, do not distinguish between civilians and combatants, and cannot be independently verified. Data from the Israel Defense Forces suggest that the Palestinian civilian death rate stands at 83%.
Amid the swirl of statesmen and the solemnity of the summit, one attendee stood out: FIFA President Gianni Infantino. His presence might have puzzled some, but Infantino explained that Trump had personally invited him. “FIFA is here to help, to assist and to put ourselves at disposal for whatever we can do to make sure that this peace process comes to fruition and to the best possible end,” Infantino said. He pledged that FIFA would help rebuild football infrastructure in Gaza, working alongside the Palestinian Football Association. “Football brings hope to children, and it’s very, very important,” he added, announcing plans to provide equipment, instructors, and even launch a fund for new pitches and ‘FIFA arenas’ in Palestine.
Infantino has become increasingly vocal about the Israel-Gaza conflict in recent weeks, calling for football to play a role in supporting peace efforts. After the ceasefire was announced, he praised the U.S.-brokered plan and even suggested that Trump should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. “The role of President Trump has been absolutely fundamental and crucial in the process. Without President Trump, there would be no peace,” Infantino told reporters at the summit.
The summit’s optics were as much about performance as policy. The presence of Macron, Starmer, Canada’s Mark Carney, and Hungary’s Viktor Orban, among others, was interpreted by some as a show of support for Trump’s peace initiative, but also as a calculated move to nudge the U.S. president toward further international engagement—particularly with hopes of influencing his approach to Russia’s war in Ukraine. As The Conversation noted, “for the US to be openly and obviously committed to the peace process makes it more difficult for the opposing parties to reopen hostilities without the risk of incurring US displeasure for ruining their achievement.”
Yet, for all the fanfare, the Trump Declaration faces daunting obstacles. The ceasefire and prisoner exchanges, while significant, are only the initial, easier steps in a diplomatic path fraught with mistrust and unresolved questions. The absence of detailed provisions for Gaza’s governance, the future of Palestinian statehood, and the cost of reconstruction all loom large. And with both Israeli and Palestinian leadership expressing skepticism or outright opposition to key components of the plan, the road ahead looks uncertain.
As the dust settles in Sharm el-Sheikh, the world watches to see whether this latest ceasefire will hold—or whether, like so many before it, it will unravel under the weight of history, politics, and the enduring absence of trust.