World leaders meet in Egypt to discuss post-war Gaza plans amid hostage, prisoner swap

U.S. Chairman Donald ruff embarked on a whirlwind trip up to the midsection due east on Monday to cement the end of the war between Israel and Hamas, and to reaffirm his ambitions to usher in peace between the two.

His stops included the Israeli Knesset in Jerusalem and a global summit in Egypt — all while Hamas and Israel underwent a long-awaited prisoner and hostage swap as part of the ceasefire that paused the violent conflict.

Monday was a day, marked by celebration, relief — and some skepticism. Here's everything you may have missed.

Trump says Israel-Hamas peace deal marks ‘historic dawn of a new Middle East’ |Clip| |9000|

Trump visited Israel early in the day to celebrate the U.S.-brokered ceasefire with Hamas.

He gave a speech at the Knesset, calling the day "a new dawn for the Middle East."

Israeli lawmakers chanted Trump’s name and gave him several standing ovations. Some people in the audience wore red hats that resembled his “Make America Great Again” caps, although these versions said “Trump, The Peace President.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed Trump as “the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House,” and he promised to work with him going forward.

“Mr. President, you are committed to this peace. I am committed to this peace,” Netanyahu said. “And together, Mr. President, we will achieve this peace.”

Trump and Netanyahu praise each other for phase 1 of peace deal

Trump, in an unexpected detour during his speech, called on Israel's president to pardon Netanyahu, whom he described as “one of the greatest” wartime leaders. Netanyahu faces corruption charges, although several hearings have been postponed during the conflict with Hamas.

The Republican president also used the opportunity to settle political scores and thank his supporters, criticizing Democratic predecessors and praising a top donor, Miriam Adelson, who was in the audience.

Following his stop in Israel, Trump flew to Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt to meet Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi ahead of a world leaders' summit. At that meeting, Trump, alongside mediators, signed a document officially ending the war in Gaza.

Together, Trump and el-Sisi addressed reporters.

“Everybody said it’s not possible to do. And it is happening before your very eyes,” Trump said of his peace deal.

Trump said Egypt played a “very important role” in the ceasefire negotiations, particularly with Hamas.

Nearly three dozen countries, including some from Europe and the Middle East, were represented at the international summit in Sharm el-Sheikh.

Trump, el-Sisi, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani signed the document that Trump said would lay the groundwork for Gaza’s future. A copy was not made public.

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas was in Egypt, as was Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, whom Trump referred to as "president."

Trump calls Carney ‘Mr. President’ at peace summit

Following the meeting, Carney posted on X that the event marks a “new and important chapter.”

“We are focused on next steps for peace and security in the Middle East, including ensuring that life-saving aid is delivered urgently,” Carney wrote on X.

Notably, Netanyahu declined an invite to attend the summit, with his office saying it was too close to a Jewish holiday. According to some reports, Turkey's Erdogan said he would not land his plane in Sharm el-Sheikh if Netanyahu were to attend, but it is unclear whether that influenced Netanyahu's decision.

The latest instance of war began when Hamas-led militants launched a surprise attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, in which some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and 251 taken hostage.

The ensuing two years of war decimated the Gaza Strip, including its health infrastructure, and killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, including children. Famine spread throughout the territory, and aid was repeatedly blocked by Israel, several humanitarian groups said. About 90 per cent of Gaza's 2 million residents have been displaced.

The conditions in Gaza sparked international protests and allegations of genocide that Israel denies.

Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, UN inquiry finds

That's partly why experts warn repair and reconstruction will be difficult.

“This peace plan that Donald Trump is touting as being the best peace plan in thousands of years was a peace plan that was put together where one of the two parties to the conflict — the Palestinians — had no voice,” Hashemi said. “It was largely an Israeli peace plan that was drawn up with the Trump administration and input from Arab dictators.”

Hashemi is hopeful for peace and reconciliation between Palestinians and Israelis “based on equality and safety and security,” but says “this is not the plan that will get us there.”

Gaza deal lacks specifics for lasting peace, expert says

Lynk added that Trump's widely circulated 20-point plan is riddled with ambiguity and doesn't rely enough on international law and UN resolutions related to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.

He said the plan also fails to map out a pathway for a two-state solution, something many have called for. For Netanyahu, Palestinian statehood is a non-starter.

Lynk also said the destruction in Gaza — and thus, reconstruction — poses a huge challenge.

“It is a massive task that faces the international community about where to get the money, how to organize reconstruction and whether Palestinians are going to want to stay in the medium or long run.”

For his part, Trump said that "a lot of money is coming into Gaza." But he didn't offer specifics.

Questions abound about next steps: Trump offered few details about what's to come.

Israel and Hamas are still in the early stages of implementing the first phase of Trump’s plan.

In addition to a hostage and prisoner swap, the first phase calls for a surge of humanitarian aid to Gaza and a partial pullback by Israeli forces from Gaza’s main cities.

Israel has reportedly agreed to reopen five border crossings, which will help ease the flow of much-needed food and other supplies into Gaza.

Hostage release a 'moment of victory for all of humanity,' cousin of freed hostage says

Many other specifics, such as Gaza's postwar governance, how reconstruction will be handled, and Israel's demand that Hamas disarm, have not been worked out.

Negotiations over those issues could break down, and Israel has hinted it may resume military operations if its demands are not met.

Monday was nonetheless full of celebration and relief.

Cheering crowds greeted buses of released prisoners in the West Bank and Gaza, while families and friends of the hostages gathered in a square in Tel Aviv, Israel, and cried out with joy and relief as news arrived that the captives were free.

Palestinians celebrate as nearly 2,000 prisoners and detainees freed

All 20 living Israeli hostages held by Hamas and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel walked free Monday. Hamas said Monday it will hand over the bodies of four of 28 deceased captives, though it was not immediately clear when the rest would be released.

Israel said it freed more than 1,900 Palestinian prisoners as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal.

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