Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is set to join an international summit in Egypt, alongside former President Donald Trump and other world leaders, to finalize a peace agreement aimed at ending the war in Gaza. The summit, hosted by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, will take place in Sharm el-Sheikh. Leaders from over 20 countries, including UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, are expected to attend. Trump's peace plan suggests a potential role for Abbas's Palestinian Authority (PA) after reforms, despite Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rejection. The PA, governed by Fatah, controls parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. However, Abbas, aged 89, faced visa issues, preventing him from attending the UN General Assembly in New York last month. Abbas expressed his willingness to collaborate with global leaders on a peace plan for Israel and Palestine, rejecting Hamas's governing role in Gaza and demanding disarmament. The first phase of Trump's 20-point plan was agreed upon by Israel and Hamas, leading to a ceasefire and an anticipated exchange of hostages and prisoners on Monday. Negotiations will follow, focusing on Gaza's governance, Israeli troop withdrawal, and Hamas's disarmament. Egypt's foreign ministry confirms the signing of a 'document ending the war in the Gaza Strip'. Other confirmed attendees include French President Emmanuel Macron, Jordan's King Abdullah II, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. Sir Tony Blair, expected to join a 'Board of Peace' under Trump's plan, met with the PA's Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh, emphasizing aid entry, hostage release, and the importance of Palestinian Authority stability. The conflict in Gaza began with Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel in October 2023, resulting in over 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages. Since then, the Hamas-run health ministry reports over 67,000 Palestinian fatalities, including more than 18,000 children.
