Starmer to attend Egypt peace summit as Gaza ceasefire takes hold. According to Egypt’s state-run Middle East News Agency (MENA), the Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit will bring together leaders and representatives from more than 20 countries,
Prime Minister Keir Starmer will join world leaders in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on Monday for a landmark international peace summit aimed at formally signing a Gaza peace plan, marking what officials describe as a “historic turning point for the Middle East.”
Downing Street confirmed that the prime minister will attend the summit, which will be co-chaired by Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and U.S. President Donald Trump. The gathering comes just days after a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect, offering a rare glimmer of hope after two years of war.
According to Egypt’s state-run Middle East News Agency (MENA), the Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit will bring together leaders and representatives from more than 20 countries, including France, the United Kingdom, Qatar, Turkey, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Germany, along with UN Secretary-General António Guterres. The summit’s central goal is to solidify the truce, accelerate humanitarian assistance, and establish a pathway to lasting regional peace and security.
The Gaza ceasefire, which took effect on Friday morning, is the first major step in a multi-phase peace framework brokered by President Trump and endorsed by the United Nations. Under the deal’s first phase, Hamas has until 12:00 local time (09:00 GMT) on Monday to release all Israeli hostages — including 20 believed to be alive and the remains of up to 28 others.
In exchange, Israel is expected to release about 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,700 detainees from Gaza. The truce also provides for a significant increase in humanitarian aid deliveries to the Strip, where infrastructure, hospitals and basic services have been decimated by the war.
The Israeli military confirmed it has partially withdrawn troops from some areas of Gaza as part of the ceasefire implementation but continues to hold positions in about half of the enclave.
Egyptian officials said Monday’s summit will include a formal signing ceremony of the peace plan, symbolising the beginning of a wider regional initiative to end hostilities, stabilise Gaza, and outline governance arrangements for the territory in later phases.
Downing Street said Sir Keir Starmer will use his address at the summit to “pay particular tribute” to President Trump for his mediation efforts, while also thanking Egypt, Qatar and Turkey for their diplomatic roles in bringing the parties together.
“He will offer the UK’s steadfast support and engagement with international partners as we look to secure the ceasefire, get urgently needed humanitarian assistance into Gaza, and establish the basis for a lasting peace and security,” No 10 said in a statement.
Sir Keir is also expected to call for “continued coordination and swift progress toward phase two” of the truce, which diplomats say will tackle the most complex issues: the governance of Gaza, the extent of Israeli troop withdrawals, and the future disarmament of Hamas.
The UN Secretary-General António Guterres confirmed through his spokesperson that he will attend Monday’s summit and return to New York on Wednesday. The Elysée Palace also announced that French President Emmanuel Macron will travel to Sharm el-Sheikh to “express his full support for the implementation of the agreement.”
A statement from Egypt’s presidency said the summit seeks to “end the war in the Gaza Strip, strengthen peace and stability efforts in the Middle East, and open a new page in regional security and cooperation.”
President Trump, speaking at the White House on Friday, said he would address Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, before heading to Egypt. “We have a lot of leaders from all over the world coming too,” he told reporters. “They’ve been invited to witness and support what we hope will be the start of a new chapter for peace in the Middle East.”
The U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks with Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty to finalise preparations for the summit, according to Cairo’s foreign ministry.
The ceasefire agreement was approved by the Israeli government late Thursday following three days of indirect negotiations mediated by Egyptian and Qatari officials. While the truce is holding, analysts caution that much depends on whether both sides adhere to the timetable for hostage releases and prisoner exchanges.
Previous ceasefires have collapsed quickly. A similar three-phase plan brokered in January 2024 fell apart within two months when Israel resumed its offensive, citing rocket fire from Hamas.
This time, however, diplomats say the international involvement—particularly the direct role of Washington, Cairo, and Doha—adds greater weight to the accord.
While the U.S. has announced plans to deploy up to 200 troops already stationed in the region to form a civil-military coordination centre in Israel, alongside units from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, the UK government has confirmed it has “no plans” to send British forces.
Instead, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said Britain will contribute by supporting reconstruction and private finance initiatives to rebuild Gaza’s shattered infrastructure once stability is achieved.
“Our focus will be on the humanitarian and developmental front — ensuring aid reaches those who need it and helping rebuild schools, hospitals, and homes,” she said.
The current ceasefire follows one of the most devastating conflicts in modern Middle Eastern history. Israel’s war in Gaza was triggered by the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages being taken.
Since then, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed — including over 18,000 children — and vast areas of the Strip reduced to rubble.
Humanitarian agencies say Gaza faces catastrophic shortages of food, water, and medical supplies, with more than 80% of the population displaced.
Diplomats describe Monday’s summit as the most serious attempt in years to create a sustainable peace framework for Gaza. For Egypt, which has long played a mediating role between Israel and Hamas, the event is also a test of its regional influence.
For Prime Minister Starmer, his participation signals the UK’s intent to reassert its role in global peacebuilding. As one senior British official put it, “This summit represents a fragile but genuine opportunity — perhaps the best in a generation — to move from endless conflict to a lasting peace.”
