US President Donald Trump has this evening signed a Gaza peace plan during a summit of world leaders in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
“This took 3,000 years, can you believe it? And it’s going to hold up,” Mr Trump told reporters during the ‘peace summit’. The plan was then signed by Egyptian leader Abdel Fattah al Sisi and Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“This is an incredible day for the world,” Trump declared. “The war in Gaza is over… civilians are returning to their homes. The hostages are reuniting,” he said.
The United States, Egypt, Qatar and Turkey have all now signed a declaration as the guarantors of a Gaza deal aimed at ending two years of war. Leaders from across the US, Western Europe and the Arab world are all in attendance to discuss “phase two” of the peace plan. Issues to be discussed include the disarmament of Hamas and a possible two-state solution.
Before signing, Mr Trump declared: “The document is going to spell out rules and regulations and lots of other things.”
It comes as Hamas has been accused by Israel of “failing” to keep the terms of the peace deal by only handing over the bodies of four hostages.
On the day that all living hostages were freed, the Red Cross also received the caskets of four of the 28 dead hostages that Hamas is obliged to give up under the deal. They are Guy Illouz, Yossi Sharabi, Bipin Joshi and IDF officer Cpt. Daniel Perez. The fact that only four bodies have been received so far has sparked fears that the terror group does not have possession of all 28 deceased hostages, or is purposely holding them back.
Israel’s defence minister Israel Katz took to X to say: “The urgent mission we are all committed to now is to ensure the return of all the fallen hostages home.
“Hamas’s announcement of the expected return of four bodies today constitutes a failure to meet its commitments. Any delay or deliberate avoidance will be considered a blatant violation of the agreement and will be met accordingly.”
Under the terms of the ceasefire agreement, all 48 Israeli captives must be released within 72 hours of the Israeli army’s redeployment. According to reports, Hamas previously indicated that recovering the bodies of some of the deceased hostages may take longer, as not all burial sites are known.
The Israel Prison Service said on Monday it has freed 1,968 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. Under the agreement, 250 people serving life sentences and some 1,700 Gaza residents held without charge were to be released.
Donald Trump addressed the Israeli parliament on Monday, before flying to Egypt for a summit marking the deal this afternoon. Donald Trump, addressing Israel’s Knesset, welcomed the Gaza peace plan as the “historic dawn of a new Middle East”.
‘END OF AN AGE OF TERROR AND DEATH’
“This is not only the end of a war, this is the end of an age of terror and death and the beginning of the age of faith and hope, and of God,” Trump said.
“It’s the start of a grand concord and lasting harmony for Israel and all the nations of what will soon be a truly magnificent region.”
During his speech, a left-wing member of the Knesset was removed after heckling Mr Trump, who responded, “That was very efficient” after the man was dragged out of the room.
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