President Donald Trump’s indomitable resolve and masterful diplomacy ended the conflict in Gaza, the White House said.
Washington/Sharm el-Sheikh: "This is an “incredible day for the world, let alone the Middle East,” US President Donald Trump said as he, along with other Arab leaders, signed the peace agreement to end the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza at Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
He asserted that the peace agreement is “going to hold up,” calling it the “biggest, most complicated deal.” After brokering the much-anticipated peace deal, he declared that he is often called upon to mediate international issues, stating confidently, “I get along with the tough ones, I don’t get along with the weak ones.”
Trump’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza outlines the establishment of a temporary technocratic government, with Israel pledging not to annex the Strip and ensuring that no residents are forced to leave.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump elaborated on his close ties with world leaders and his role in diffusing global tensions. “Erdogan’s been great with me,” he said, referring to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. “You know, when NATO has a problem with Erdogan, which they often do, they call me to talk to. And I never failed at working immediately.”
Trump also commented on the Israel-Hamas conflict. “We are talking about rebuilding Gaza; not talking about single state, double state, or two-state; we did it the right way, and our timing was perfect,” he said, underlining the US-led effort to bring an end to hostilities in the region.
Israel has returned the bodies of 30 Palestinians to Gaza, the Hamas-run health ministry said, as part of an exchange agreed in the ceasefire deal. Hamas earlier returned the remains of two Israelis - the deal said Israel would return 15 Palestinian bodies for every Israeli body.
So far, Hamas has returned all 20 living hostages but only nine of the 28 dead hostages - the group says it needs specialist equipment to find the others. The delay raised fears the ceasefire could collapse, but senior US advisers downplayed the threat, saying Hamas intends to "honor" the deal.
The Gaza ceasefire document was formally signed in Egypt by four key mediators, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, US President Donald Trump, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Notably, representatives from Israel and Hamas were not present at the signing.
The summit, co-chaired by Egypt and the United States, was attended by leaders from over 20 nations, alongside representatives from regional and international organizations.
