Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt – World leaders gathered in Egypt’s Red Sea resort city on Monday to sign the Gaza Peace Agreement, marking what participants described as a historic step toward ending the two-year-long conflict in the besieged Palestinian enclave.
The summit, jointly chaired by United States President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, brought together heads of state and government from over 20 countries, including Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who attended the signing ceremony at the Sharm el-Sheikh Congress Centre.
A Landmark Signing for Regional Peace
The United States, Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye acted as mediators for the peace plan, which included a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, a mutual exchange of hostages and prisoners, a gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops, and expanded humanitarian corridors into Gaza. The ceasefire, now in its fourth day, is being described as the first phase of a broader roadmap toward permanent stability.
“Gaza Peace Agreement is a historic breakthrough,” President Trump declared in his opening address, praising “the leadership of Qatar, Türkiye, and Egypt” for their mediation efforts.
“This agreement will bring peace to the Middle East. It’s a historic day, made possible by the cooperation of our friends and partners,” he said, calling Egypt’s role “central to the success of the peace plan.”
Shehbaz Sharif: ‘Closing of a Genocidal Chapter’
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hailed the accord as “a crucial step toward lasting peace in the Middle East.” In a post on X, he said:
“Today’s ceremony marks the closing of a genocidal chapter, one that the international community must ensure is never repeated anywhere again.”
The prime minister praised President Trump’s “outstanding leadership and unwavering commitment”, adding that “the brave and resilient Palestinian people deserve to live in a free Palestine, with pre-1967 borders and Al Quds Al Sharif as their capital city.”
Shehbaz also held meetings with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who thanked Pakistan for its “unwavering political and diplomatic support.” Both leaders expressed satisfaction over the truce and discussed reconstruction and humanitarian assistance for Gaza.
Diplomatic Engagements and Broader Outreach
On the sidelines of the summit, PM Shehbaz met several world leaders, including King Abdullah II of Jordan, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud.
In a rare trilateral meeting, Shehbaz also met Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who expressed joint appreciation for the ceasefire, a symbolic show of unity across traditional divides.
During these interactions, Shehbaz reaffirmed Pakistan’s principled stance on the Palestinian cause, stating: “Our position is rooted in justice and humanity. Pakistan will continue to stand by the Palestinian people and support all peaceful initiatives aimed at ending violence and ensuring their legitimate rights.”
Pakistan’s Longstanding Position on Palestine
In a statement issued on Sunday, Pakistan’s Foreign Office said it hoped the Sharm el-Sheikh summit would pave the way for a “full Israeli withdrawal, protection of Palestinian civilians, release of prisoners, an end to their displacement, and the reconstruction of Gaza.”
The FO emphasized that Pakistan’s participation reflected its “historic, consistent, and unwavering support for the just cause of the Palestinian people and their right to self-determination.”
A Global Gathering for Peace
Egypt said the summit’s objective was “to end the war in the Gaza Strip, enhance efforts to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East, and usher in a new era of regional security.”
The event drew participation from major global leaders, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and European Council President Antonio Costa.
However, no Israeli or Iranian officials attended the forum. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed that “no Israeli official will attend,” while Hamas spokesperson Hossam Badran told AFP that the group “will not be involved directly.”
A Humanitarian Turning Point
The war in Gaza, which began in October 2023, has claimed over 67,000 Palestinian lives and injured more than 170,000, displacing nearly two million people. Much of the enclave lies in ruins, marking one of the gravest humanitarian crises in recent decades.
As the Gaza Peace Agreement was signed in Sharm el-Sheikh, United States President Donald Trump described the moment as “a historic day for the Middle East,” according to Al Jazeera.
“This is the day that people around the region and across the world have been working, striving, hoping and praying for,” said the US president.
Calling the Gaza ceasefire agreement “historic,” Trump said, “Nobody thought this could happen.”
He continued, “After years of suffering and bloodshed, the war in Gaza is over. Humanitarian aid is now pouring in, including hundreds of truckloads of food, medical equipment and other supplies, much of it paid by people in this room. Civilians are returning to their homes, the hostages are reuniting [with their families]. A new and beautiful day is rising and now the rebuilding begins.”
The U.S. president expressed “tremendous gratitude to the Arab and Muslim nations who helped make this incredible breakthrough possible,” extending special thanks to Egypt and Qatar for their role in mediating the ceasefire.
Trump also thanked Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi for conferring upon him the “honour of the Nile,” Egypt’s highest state decoration, and offered “a special thanks” to Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, saying, “He’s got a tremendous heart.”
Following a brief speech by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who lauded Trump’s leadership and the collective diplomacy that ended the Gaza bloodshed, the U.S. president returned to the podium, acknowledging leaders from more than 20 nations who attended the summit “on 20 minutes’ notice.”
“It’s such a compliment to what we’re doing, because what we’ve done is something very unique and very special,” Trump said, describing the truce as a “historic change that is going to be remembered forever.”
He also thanked several regional leaders for their support in securing the deal, singling out Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whom he described as “as tough as can be, but we love him.”
“He’s always there when I need him,” Trump added, praising their “good relationship.”
Trump further extended appreciation to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, among others, for their roles in achieving what he called “a turning point for peace in the Middle East.”
Shared Commitment to Peace
As the ink dried on the Gaza Peace Agreement, there was a sense of cautious hope. For the millions displaced, for families waiting to return home, and for nations that stood by Palestine in its darkest hours, Sharm el-Sheikh symbolized not just diplomacy, but humanity’s collective desire to end suffering and begin again.
The Sharm el-Sheikh accord may not resolve every fault line in the Middle East, but it signals a turning point, a recognition that peace requires partnership, not polarization.
For Pakistan and other Muslim nations, it reaffirms a shared moral stake in Palestine’s freedom and the region’s future. The real test now lies in whether promises made in the Red Sea resort will hold against the harsh winds of political reality.
