CAIRO, Oct 12: U.S. President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi will co-host a summit in Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday to discuss a ceasefire proposal aimed at ending Israel’s war on Gaza, leaders from more than 20 countries are expected to attend, including U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, the Egyptian presidency said in a statement reported by Al Jazeera.
The summit’s objective is to stop hostilities in Gaza, strengthen regional stability, and pave the way for renewed peace efforts in the Middle East, the statement added, while Al Jazeera noted that it remained unclear if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or Hamas representatives would participate, as the focus centers on multilateral engagement and humanitarian coordination.
A temporary ceasefire brokered by the United States has slowed the fighting that has killed more than 67,000 people in Gaza and left large parts of the enclave in ruins, Al Jazeera reported. Israeli forces have partially withdrawn from some areas under the first phase of the agreement, though checkpoints and security measures remain in place, and residents continue to face shortages of food, water, and fuel, according to reporting from Al Jazeera correspondents on the ground.
Tens of thousands of Palestinians are returning to their homes in northern Gaza by foot, car, and cart, but many neighborhoods are heavily damaged, and the struggle to rebuild is immediate and difficult, Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud reported from Gaza City, describing the challenges of survival amid destroyed infrastructure and ongoing uncertainty.
Egypt to host Arab summit after Trump Gaza comments
Gaza’s Government Media Office has said over 5,000 public service operations have been carried out since the ceasefire, including more than 850 rescue and relief missions by civil defense, police, and municipal teams to recover bodies, clear rubble, and secure damaged areas, while Al Jazeera reported that about 150 bodies have been recovered across the enclave, and 28 more were retrieved from Khan Younis alone.
Efforts to restore water and sewage systems have been extensive, with more than 900 service missions conducted despite severe resource shortages caused by Israel’s blockade, which continues to restrict fuel, equipment, and humanitarian aid, Al Jazeera noted, emphasizing that destruction of ambulances, fire trucks, and civil defense facilities during the war has further hampered recovery efforts.
The mayor of Khan Younis said around 85 percent of the southern governorate has been destroyed, with an estimated 400,000 tonnes of rubble needing removal, and Al Jazeera reported that aid groups are calling for crossings to open to allow food and emergency supplies into Gaza, with the World Food Programme ready to resume 145 distribution points once access is granted.
UNICEF said it expects to scale up shipments of high-energy food for malnourished children, tents, and menstrual hygiene supplies starting Sunday, Al Jazeera reported, while Hamas political bureau member Izzat al-Risheq confirmed the group is working with friendly countries to ensure aid entry despite widespread destruction.
Under the ceasefire, Israeli captives held by Hamas are expected to return on Monday, with 20 living captives and 28 bodies set for release, while Israel is to free around 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,700 people detained from Gaza over the past two years, Al Jazeera reported. Past exchanges have seen delays and harsh treatment for Palestinians, including abuse, restrictions on family contact, and poor health on release, according to rights groups cited by Al Jazeera.
In Tel Aviv, tens of thousands gathered at Hostages Square to mark the anticipated return of captives, with family members praising Trump and U.S. envoys for facilitating the deal rather than Israeli leaders, Al Jazeera’s Hamdah Salhut reported, noting that demonstrators expressed frustration with Prime Minister Netanyahu, whom they accused of prolonging the conflict for political gain.
The Sharm el-Sheikh summit represents a pivotal opportunity to solidify the ceasefire, expand humanitarian access, and create conditions for a more lasting resolution, Al Jazeera concluded, though the road to stability in Gaza remains precarious and closely monitored by the international community.
