Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the USA acted as guarantors of the agreements aimed at ending the war in the Gaza Strip in Sharm El Sheikh. Hamas and Benjamin Netanyahu did not participate in the signing. 20 hostages returned to Israel, reports DW.
An international "World Summit" took place in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, on Monday, October 13, with the participation of more than 20 world leaders. A declaration on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip was signed there.
The mediating states - Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the USA - signed the document, which officially formalized the agreement between Israel and the Palestinian radical Islamist movement Hamas. The four countries stated their agreement to act as guarantors of the agreements aimed at ending the war in Gaza.
According to U.S. President Donald Trump, the declaration establishes "rules and provisions" for further steps towards ending the acute phase of the conflict that began two years ago. The American leader called October 13 "an incredible day for the whole world and the Middle East."
Momentum for a Long-Term Concept for Gaza's Reconstruction
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi called for a resolution based on the concept of "two states." The summit was intended to give momentum to the development of a long-term management and reconstruction concept for the devastated Palestinian territory, AP reported.
According to them, Trump's plan envisions the possibility of creating a Palestinian state, but only after a lengthy transitional period in the Gaza Strip and a reform process by the Palestinian Authority. However, the head of the White House did not mention a two-state solution. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opposes such an approach.
Hamas and Benjamin Netanyahu did not participate in the signing. The Hamas group itself did not participate in the signing of the agreement. Only the mediators, as well as American and Israeli officials, were present at the ceremony. Netanyahu was also not at the meeting. According to AP, Turkey initiated a "diplomatic initiative" regarding his non-participation.
Key Stages of Trump's Peace Plan
During the first phase, Israeli troops withdrew from several areas of the Gaza Strip, allowing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to return to their homes, which they had previously been forced to leave. Humanitarian organizations are preparing to deliver large volumes of aid to the region, which has not been supplied for several months.
In the next phase, it will be necessary to address the disarmament of Hamas, the creation of a post-war government for Gaza, and the determination of the scale of the withdrawal of Israeli troops. Trump's plan also stipulates that regional and international partners will work on creating a core of new Palestinian security forces.
Fundraising for Gaza's Reconstruction
Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry noted that a resolution from the UN Security Council is necessary for the deployment of international forces. Another important issue is fundraising for the reconstruction of Gaza. According to estimates from the World Bank and Egypt, $53 billion (46 billion euros) will be needed for these purposes. Egypt plans to hold a conference on reconstruction issues in November.
All 20 Living Hostages Returned to Israel
All 20 living hostages, who were taken to the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, returned home on the afternoon of October 13. They spent 737 days in captivity with Hamas terrorists. The first bodies - a total of 28 deceased hostages - have also begun to be returned to Israel. Earlier, representatives of the Palestinian terrorist movement warned that the remains of some hostages are under rubble, and more time will be needed for their search and return to Israel.
Israeli authorities are working on the release of approximately 1968 Palestinian prisoners. A group of Palestinians released from Ofer prison arrived in the city of Ramallah in the central West Bank, reported the Arab channel Al Jazeera. Another group of former prisoners is in the Gaza Strip. They were transported on 38 buses, clarified the British newspaper The Guardian.
EC President: Agreement is a Historic Milestone
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the return of Israeli hostages is a moment of relief for the whole world. "Europe fully supports the peace plan developed with the mediation of the USA, Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey. The final formalization today in Sharm El Sheikh of the agreement that ended the war will be a historic milestone," her statement said.
More than 20 World Leaders Participated in the Summit
In total, more than 20 world leaders participated in the summit. Among them were UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The latter expressed concern about Israel's approach to conducting the war and its plans for the military capture of Gaza, AP reported.
Starmer, who also attended the meeting, stated that he would allocate £20 million (23 million euros) for providing the region with water and sanitation services, and added that London would hold a three-day conference on reconstruction and recovery issues in Gaza.
Hamas Attack on Israel
The attack by the Hamas movement, recognized as a terrorist organization by the EU and the USA, on Israel on October 7, 2023, marked the beginning of an escalation of the Middle Eastern conflict. At that time, militants launched a rocket strike on Israel, invaded its territory, and carried out the largest massacre of civilians in the history of the modern Israeli state, killing about 1200 people. They also took about 250 hostages and transported them to the Gaza Strip. Later, some hostages were exchanged or released, while others were killed.
In response, Israel declared war on Hamas. During the ground operation and bombings of the Gaza Strip, more than 67,000 Palestinians were killed, and over 169,000 were injured, claims the health ministry controlled by Hamas. However, it does not specify how this statistic is compiled. For example, it is unclear how many of the deceased were Islamist militants, and whether deaths of Palestinians in hospitals from natural causes are included in this count.
