The first phase of the Gaza ceasefire took effect on Friday, following two previous deals that collapsed when Israel resumed its assault on the territory.
Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani joined leaders from Egypt, the United States, and Türkiye in signing Trump’s Gaza peace plan in Sharm El-Sheikh on Monday.
The signing took place in the same city that hosted the round of indirect talks between Hamas and Israel, which led to the October 9 agreement on the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and U.S. President Donald Trump co-chaired the Sharm El-Sheikh summit, which brought together leaders and top officials from 20 countries.
Among the key participants was Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, whose country played a central role in brokering the agreement alongside Qatar, Egypt, and the U.S.
“We are pleased with the positive outcomes of the Sharm El-Sheikh Peace Summit, and we hope it will serve as a starting point for further future agreements that meet the aspirations of our brothers in the Gaza Strip,” Sheikh Tamim said on X.
“We look forward to all parties adhering to the mutual understandings achieved for the common good,” the Qatari leader added.
In a joint statement, the signatories welcomed the “historic commitment” to Trump’s peace plan and expressed support for the U.S. president’s efforts.
“We understand that lasting peace will be one in which both Palestinians and Israelis can prosper with their fundamental human rights protected, their security guaranteed and their dignity upheld,” the statement read.
The statement also underscored the importance of “cooperation and sustained dialogue” and the “commitment to peaceful coexistence”.
“We seek tolerance, dignity and equal opportunity for every person, ensuring this region is a place where all can pursue their aspirations in peace, security, and economic prosperity, regardless of race, faith, or ethnicity,” the statement read.
The first phase of the Gaza ceasefire came into effect on Friday, following two previous deals that collapsed when Israel resumed its assault on the territory.
Under the terms of the current deal, Hamas released the remaining living 20 Israeli captives on Monday in exchange for 1,968 Palestinian detainees.
Among those freed Palestinians were 1,718 people taken from Gaza since October 7, 2023, and 250 others serving life or lengthy sentences. A total of 154 were exiled to Egypt.
Hamas is also in the process of releasing the bodies of 28 dead, killed by Israel’s relentless bombardment of the Gaza Strip. The group has so far released the bodies of four captives as it locates the remaining ones.
Despite the ceasefire deal, Israel has continued killing Palestinians in Gaza, with at least five killed on Tuesday.
Israel has killed at least 67,869 Palestinians during the two-year genocide. The Palestinian Civil Defence continues its work in recovering the bodies of thousands of others from under the rubble and mass destruction.
