Starmer to attend Egypt summit on Gaza peace plan

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will attend an international peace summit in Egypt on Monday, where the long-awaited Gaza peace plan is set to be formally signed, Downing Street confirmed on Saturday.

The summit, to be held in Sharm El-Sheikh, will mark a pivotal moment following the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, which took effect on Friday morning. The truce represents the first phase of a broader deal that includes the return of hostages and the groundwork for further negotiations.

According to No. 10, Prime Minister Starmer will pay a "particular tribute" to US President Donald Trump for his mediation role in brokering the agreement.

President Trump will co-chair the summit alongside Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, with leaders from more than 20 countries expected to participate, a spokesperson for President al-Sisi confirmed.

The signing of the peace plan is expected to lay the foundation for a comprehensive roadmap toward long-term stability in Gaza and renewed dialogue between Israel and Palestine under international supervision.

Under the deal, Hamas has until 12:00 (09:00 GMT) on Monday to release all Israeli hostages – including 20 who are believed to be alive, and the remains of up to 28 deceased hostages.

Israel should also release around 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,700 detainees from Gaza, while increased amounts of aid should enter the Strip.

Many details for the later phases, which would be negotiated after the successful completion of phase one, could be hard to reach agreement on – such as the governance of Gaza, the extent of Israeli troop withdrawal, and the disarming of Hamas.

Downing Street said Monday's summit would involve a "signing ceremony" for the peace plan, "marking a historic turning point for the region after two years of conflict and bloodshed".

Sir Keir will thank Egypt, Qatar and Turkey for "bringing us to this point" as well as Trump, before calling for continued coordination to secure "swift progress towards phase two" of the truce.

No 10 added in its statement: "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 secure a basis for a lasting peace and security."

French President Emmanuel Macron will also attend, the Elysee Palace confirmed on Saturday, where he will "express his full support for the implementation of the agreement".

Confirming the summit late on Saturday, a spokesperson for Egypt's presidency said it was intended 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 stability".

Trump had told reporters at the White House on Friday that he would be travelling to the region on Monday, addressing Israel's parliament, the Knesset, before heading to Egypt.

He said, "We have a lot of leaders from all over the world coming too; they've been invited."

Egypt's foreign ministry had also said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed arrangements for the summit with Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty.

The ceasefire came into effect after the Israeli government approved the first phase of Trump's ceasefire and hostage return deal on Thursday, following three days of indirect talks in Egypt.

The Israeli military said it had partially withdrawn troops from parts of Gaza and pulled back to an agreed position within the territory – though troops still occupy half of the Strip.

The UK has already said it has "no plans" to send British troops to be part of a multinational force that will monitor the latest ceasefire from Israel.

The US is moving up to 200 troops already based in the region to what it is calling a civil-military coordination centre in Israel, officials have said, alongside forces from Arab and Muslim countries including Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said on Friday the UK would continue to support the peace process in other ways, including looking at getting private finance into Gaza.

Israel's war on Gaza was triggered by the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.

Since then, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, including more than 18,000 children, the Hamas-run health ministry says.

A previous ceasefire agreement that began in January collapsed after two months when Israel resumed its military offensive, having never got past the first stage of a three-stage plan.