The much-hyped Gaza Peace Summit held on October 13 at Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, turned out to be more political theatre than a turning point for peace. Co-chaired by former U.S. President Donald Trump and Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the summit gathered over 20 world leaders to support a US-brokered ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. But despite the high-profile presence, two of the most critical issues—Palestinian statehood and Hamas disarmament—were not addressed seriously.
The summit’s agenda focused on immediate ceasefire implementation, humanitarian aid, and Gaza’s future governance. However, there was no clear discussion on the long-term political roadmap, including Palestinian statehood or the disarmament of Hamas—two key drivers of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war that reignited in 2023.
While Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was present, he does not govern Gaza—Hamas does. Notably, it remains unclear who represented Hamas, as much of their leadership has been eliminated by Israeli operations. On the other hand, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu did not attend the summit, allegedly discouraged by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Coinciding with the summit, Hamas released the last 20 living Israeli hostages in exchange for 1,900+ Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails. Though a positive step, this exchange did not translate into concrete political commitments during the summit discussions.
Observers and analysts have criticized the summit as a “circus” designed to give Trump a political spotlight rather than achieve real peace. Without clear commitments on core issues, the summit risks becoming another missed opportunity in the long struggle for peace in the region.
Without resolving the future of Hamas or a clear path to Palestinian statehood, the conflict’s root causes remain unaddressed. The summit may have bought time with a ceasefire, but peace still feels like a distant dream.
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