US President Donald Trump meets Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi during a summit on Gaza in Sharm el-Sheikh. AFP
This came during their bilateral meeting on Monday, ahead of their co-chairing of the “Sharm El-Sheikh Peace Summit,” which will be attended by 31 countries as well as international and regional organizations, to mark the signing of the agreement ending the war in the Gaza Strip.
In turn, President El-Sisi expressed “on behalf of Egyptians and peace lovers worldwide” appreciation and respect to Trump on the accomplishment of the peace agreement, adding “I have been confident, President Trump, that you are the only one capable of ending this war ... and achieving peace in the region”.
El-Sisi called the Gaza agreement a remarkable achievement, affirming Egypt’s commitment to consolidate and sustain the ceasefire in the Strip.
“You did a great job, thank you,” El-Sisi told Trump.
El-Sisi also stated that “now, we need to complete the ceasefire agreement, ensure the delivery of aid to Gaza and the return of the bodies of the Israeli captives to their families,” he said.
For his part, President Trump said that President El-Sisi is a strong leader, affirming that the US stands with the Egyptian president until the end.
He underscored Egypt’s highly significant role in ending the war in the Gaza Strip, affirming ongoing efforts to save the situation in Gaza and remove the debris from the Strip.
President Trump also indicated that the second phase of peace negotiations between Hamas and Israel is already in progress.
He added that as all surviving hostages had been freed from Gaza, efforts would now focus on recovering the bodies of those killed.
Meanwhile, when asked by a reporter whether President El-Sisi might have a seat on the “Board of Peace,” President Trump replied, “I’d like to have him on the board.”
El-Sisi responded, “If President Trump is going to be there, then I’ll be there too.”
Trump’s 20-point peace plan calls for the creation of an international “Board of Peace” to oversee a new governing body for Gaza, with Trump himself set to lead the board.
White House envoy Steve Witkoff said he believes there is a “long list of applicants” seeking to join the board.
At the conclusion of their meeting, El-Sisi called for President Trump’s support for the Gaza Reconstruction Conference and invited him to attend the conference.
In a separate meeting with leaders attending the summit, El-Sisi emphasized the importance of holding the Cairo Conference on Early Recovery and Reconstruction in November 2025, building on the momentum generated by the Sharm El-Sheikh Summit for Peace.
He also underlined the need for European countries to encourage all relevant parties to implement the agreement to end the war in the Gaza Strip.
The president noted that Egypt and Jordan are training a number of Palestinian police personnel and stressed the importance of European support for both countries to continue and expand this training program.
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