Egypt is hosting this Monday afternoon in Sharm El-Sheikh a summit for peace in Gaza, chaired by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and former U.S. President Donald Trump, with leaders from more than twenty countries and UN Secretary-General António Guterres participating, while Israel will not take part.

Egyptian officials announced the completion of final preparations to host the signing ceremony of the “Sharm El-Sheikh Agreement” to stop the war in Gaza, raising the highest state of readiness across the city sectors until the summit convenes. Meanwhile, Hamas declared it will not govern Gaza during the transitional phase after the war, and U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance confirmed there are no plans to send ground troops to Gaza or Israel, expecting the release of Israeli hostages at any time.

The summit aims to “end the war in Gaza, enhance efforts to establish peace and stability in the Middle East, and open a new chapter of regional security and stability.” Besides Guterres, participating leaders include Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and European Council President António Costa representing the EU. Iranian media reported Tehran will not participate. Earlier announcements included French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and other regional and international countries.

Israel officially announced it will not send any representative to the peace summit in Egypt. Shosh Badrassian, spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, said, “No Israeli official will attend.”

Meanwhile, Hamas Political Bureau member Hossam Badran revealed the movement will not participate in the signing ceremony with Israel and will not govern Gaza during the transitional phase after the war, but remains a key part of the Palestinian fabric.

U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance emphasized the need for “constant pressure” by the United States to secure stability in Gaza. He indicated that the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza is imminent. Vance also disclosed that 200 U.S. troops will be sent to Israel to monitor the ceasefire in Gaza without combat roles, with no plans to deploy ground forces.

Separately, resigned French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated that the European Union is very likely to increase its presence in Gaza once the ceasefire is established, highlighting the importance of training Palestinian police officers to maintain security after Hamas and the Israeli army withdraw. Turkey and Indonesia have also expressed interest in participating in the planned international force.