On Monday, October 13, 2025, the coastal Egyptian city of Sharm El-Sheikh will once again find itself at the center of global diplomacy as world leaders gather for a summit that could mark a historic turning point in the Israel-Hamas conflict. The summit, hosted by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and attended by more than 20 heads of state and government, is set to culminate in the signing of a peace plan for Gaza, brokered by US President Donald Trump.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres are among the prominent figures slated to attend, according to statements from 10 Downing Street, the Elysee Palace, and the UN. The summit comes on the heels of a fragile ceasefire that took effect on Friday, October 10, after Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of a US-brokered agreement following two years of devastating conflict.
According to BBC, the first phase of the plan requires Hamas to release all Israeli hostages—including 20 believed to be alive and the remains of up to 28 deceased—by midday Monday. In exchange, Israel is to release around 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,700 detainees from Gaza. The deal also stipulates that increased amounts of humanitarian aid must flow into the Gaza Strip, a territory battered by relentless violence and severe shortages of basic necessities.
While the initial steps of the agreement have been hammered out, many of the thorniest issues—such as the future governance of Gaza, the extent of Israeli troop withdrawal, and the disarming of Hamas—remain unresolved. These will be subject to further negotiation in subsequent phases, with the hope that the momentum generated by the summit will carry the process forward.
Downing Street has described the upcoming summit as a "signing ceremony" for the peace plan, emphasizing its significance as a "historic turning point for the region after two years of conflict and bloodshed." Sir Keir Starmer is expected to use his address in Sharm El-Sheikh to pay "particular tribute" to President Trump, as well as to Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey for their pivotal roles in brokering the deal. He will also call for continued international coordination to ensure "swift progress towards phase two" of the truce, which will involve deploying a ceasefire monitoring mission and establishing transitional governance in Gaza.
"He will offer the UK's steadfast support and engagement with international partners as we look to secure the ceasefire, get urgently needed humanitarian assistance into Gaza and secure a basis for a lasting peace and security," a spokesperson for No 10 said, as reported by BBC. Starmer’s office has reiterated Britain’s "steadfast support" to help secure the ceasefire and deliver humanitarian aid, while making it clear that the UK has "no plans" to send troops to be part of any multinational force monitoring the ceasefire.
French President Emmanuel Macron’s attendance was confirmed by the Elysee Palace. According to Bloomberg, Macron will "express his full support for the implementation of the agreement," underscoring France’s commitment to peace and stability in the Middle East. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, whose presence was confirmed by his office, is expected to lend the weight of the international community to the proceedings, reinforcing the legitimacy of the summit’s outcomes.
The United States is stepping up its involvement by moving up to 200 troops already based in the region to a civil-military coordination center in Israel, alongside forces from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey. This move, reported by BBC, is intended to help coordinate the implementation of the ceasefire and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid, without escalating the military footprint in the volatile region.
The road to this moment has been long and harrowing. The conflict was ignited on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants launched a deadly assault on southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza has, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, resulted in the deaths of more than 67,000 Palestinians, including over 18,000 children. The humanitarian crisis has deepened with each passing month, fueling international calls for an urgent resolution.
Previous attempts at brokering a ceasefire have faltered. A similar agreement reached in January collapsed after two months, when Israel resumed its military offensive, having never progressed beyond the first stage of a three-stage plan. The stakes are high, and skepticism lingers about whether this latest effort will succeed where others have failed.
Nevertheless, the mood among diplomats is cautiously optimistic. Egypt’s presidency described the summit as an effort to "end the war in the Gaza Strip, strengthen peace and stability efforts in the Middle East, and open a new page in regional security and stability." US President Trump, speaking at the White House on Friday, told reporters, "We have a lot of leaders from all over the world coming too, they've been invited." He is expected to address Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, before traveling to Egypt for the summit.
For its part, the UK is focusing on non-military contributions to the peace process. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said on Friday that Britain would continue to support the process in other ways, including exploring private finance initiatives to help rebuild Gaza’s shattered infrastructure. "We want to see a Gaza that is stable, secure, and able to recover from the devastation it has suffered," Cooper said, according to BBC.
The Israeli military, meanwhile, has partially withdrawn troops from parts of Gaza and pulled back to agreed positions within the territory—though, crucially, Israeli forces continue to occupy about half of the Strip. The partial withdrawal is seen as a gesture of good faith, but the ultimate fate of Israeli troops in Gaza remains a key sticking point for future negotiations.
With the clock ticking toward the Monday deadline for the release of hostages and prisoners, the world’s attention is fixed on Sharm El-Sheikh. Can this gathering of leaders truly deliver peace after so much suffering? Or will the promise of the summit prove as fleeting as previous agreements?
As the summit convenes, the hopes of millions rest on the ability of world leaders to seize this moment and chart a new course for Gaza and the wider region. The coming days will reveal whether this historic meeting can indeed turn the page on years of conflict and open the door to a more peaceful future.
