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Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi spoke on Monday about the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement and the future of the Gaza Strip at a peace summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, telling world leaders that US President Donald Trump’s proposal was the “last chance” for peace in the region.
World leaders gathered at a summit in the Egyptian resort city to support the Gaza ceasefire agreement that ended more than two years of Israeli offensive against the Palestinian territory that has left vast swaths of the neighborhood in ruins.
The meeting was attended by more than 20 world leaders, including Jordan’s King Abdullah, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the French president and the British prime minister.
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair will also attend the summit and could join a “peace commission” overseeing interim rule in Gaza under the US president’s plan.
President Trump praised the world leaders who attended Sharm el-Sheikh, saying, “This is probably the greatest gathering of nations ever assembled in terms of wealth and power, and it’s just an honor to be a part of it.”
“We have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to forget old feuds and bitter hatreds and declare that our future will not be dominated by the conflicts of generations past.”
The US president also thanked the leaders of Qatar, Turkey, Egypt and other countries who were credited with helping broker the ceasefire.
Together with President Trump, the leaders of these three countries proceeded to sign a document solidifying the first phase of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
Two state solution
El-Sissi also reiterated the need for a two-state solution, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly opposed.
President Trump’s plan does not exclude the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state, which would only be possible after an extended transition period in Gaza and reforms by the Palestinian Authority (PA).
European Council President AntΓ³nio Costa said a just and sustainable peace must be “based on a two-state solution” and the EU must commit to contributing to the transitional governance, recovery and reconstruction process, including “with continued support to the Palestinian Authority”.
During his speech, El-Sissi also awarded President Trump the Order of the Nile, the highest civilian honor.