Trump to Co-Chair Summit on Gaza’s Future During Middle East Visit

Latest Developments

• Seeking to Agree to ‘Broad Principles’: President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi will co-chair a summit on Gaza in the Egyptian town of Sharm el-Sheikh on October 13 as part of Trump’s brief trip to the Middle East. The summit follows Israel and Hamas agreeing on October 9 to phase one of the Trump administration’s 20-point ceasefire proposal, which includes a multilateral cessation of hostilities in Gaza, the return of the remaining 48 Israeli hostages, and the release of 1,950 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. The summit’s purpose is to solidify support for “broad principles” of the second phase of the deal from its guarantors — the United States, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey. Before the summit, Trump is expected to address Israel’s Knesset the morning of October 13, the same day as the expected return of the Israeli hostages.
• Israel and Hamas Not Invited: Representatives from Israel and Hamas were not invited to attend the summit, since it will be focused on the deal’s guarantors, rather than the parties. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is reportedly attending the summit after lobbying Egyptian officials to do so. More than 20 world leaders are expected to attend, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Jordan’s King Abdullah II.
• Hamas Refuses to Disarm: The second phase of Trump’s peace plan, which remains to be finalized, aims to achieve a permanent end to the war. This step will involve the permanent disarmament of Hamas, establishing an apolitical technocratic government overseen by a “Board of Peace” comprising international stakeholders, and deploying an International Stabilization Force to maintain security. Despite both parties agreeing to the plan’s first phase, Hamas has insisted that it would not lay down its weapons, with one Hamas official saying that disarmament was “out of the question.”

FDD Expert Response

“President Trump’s visit to the Middle East is an essential part of sustaining international buy-in to his peace plan. The first phase looks likely to be accomplished by early this week. But Hamas is making comments and taking actions that suggest it intends to resist the provisions of the second phase. It is reluctant to disarm and relinquish political control in Gaza. Hence, the main task of Monday’s international meeting in Egypt must be to ensure that Turkish and Qatari commitment to sustain pressure on Hamas to accept and implement the Trump plan is maintained.” — Edmund Fitton-Brown, Senior Fellow

“While President Trump seeks to secure the success of the ceasefire and bring an end to the war, his broader objective is to lay the groundwork for lasting peace in the Middle East. The upcoming meeting in Egypt could represent a small but significant step in that direction, as key regional players are expected to attend. The next phase will likely focus on advancing normalization with Israel, with countries such as Saudi Arabia and possibly Malaysia, seen as potential partners in the Trump administration’s wider effort to move closer to its ultimate goal: a stable and peaceful Middle East.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst and Editor at FDD’s Long War Journal

FDD Background and Analysis

“FAQ: What To Know About Phase One of the Gaza Ceasefire,” by Aaron Goren

“Profiles of notable terrorists Israel will release in ceasefire deal with Hamas,” by Joe Truzman and Ahmad Sharawi

“Gaza Ceasefire Implemented Ahead of Hostage Release,” FDD Flash Brief

“Israel, Hamas agree to Gaza deal in Egypt,” by Seth J. Frantzman