Starmer heads to Egypt for Gaza peace summit with Trump | UK | News
KEIR Starmer will travel to Egypt tomorrow to attend the Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit, where he will join world leaders in the signing of the Gaza peace plan.
The prime minister will pay tribute to US President Donald Trump’s “leadership” in brokering the deal and praise diplomatic efforts by Egypt, Qatar and Türkiye to reach an agreement in the first phase, when the surviving Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners are expected to be released on Monday morning.
It will also call for continued international coordination to secure progress on Phase 2, which includes the decommissioning of Hamas, the deployment of a ceasefire monitoring mission, and the creation of an International Security Force to oversee transitional management in Gaza.
President Trump confirmed last night that the 20 surviving hostages who spent two years in Hamas captivity will be released tomorrow.
“It will be a happy day,” he said.
The US president is expected to fly to Egypt for the signing ceremony, along with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and other guarantors, and then visit Israel to meet Benjamin Netanyahu and deliver a speech to the Knesset.
The bodies of the 28 hostages who died in the first phase of the three-part process will also be returned, but the whereabouts of the other nine are unknown.
Mr. Trump said he believed the ceasefire would hold because “everyone is tired of the fighting.”
He added: “Remember, October 7 was a terrible day – 1,200 people died – but Hamas lost 58,000 people. This is great revenge. People understand that.”
Currently, nearly 200 US soldiers have landed in Israel.
Admiral Brad Cooper, head of US Central Command, confirmed he visited Gaza to discuss a new “civil-military coordination center” led by Centcom to support post-conflict stability.
The United States will coordinate a multinational task force in Gaza that will likely include troops from Egypt, Qatar, Türkiye and the UAE.
Israel was preparing to take 20 live hostages yesterday before noon Monday local time.
One hospital held a dress rehearsal with actors to simulate reunions, prioritizing psychological recovery and family contact before medical check-ups.
Hagai Angrest, whose son Matan is among those expected to return, said, “We are very excited, we are waiting for our son and all the hostages.”
“We’re waiting for your phone call.”
Israeli troops have already withdrawn to agreed lines outside major urban areas, giving Hamas a 72-hour window to release its captives.
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of Palestinians began to stream northward along the Gaza coast and return to their destroyed homes.
“This is an indescribable feeling,” said Nabila Basal, walking with her injured daughter.
“We are very happy that the war is over and the suffering is over.”
The pause in Israeli air operations allowed hundreds of trucks carrying food and medical supplies to enter Gaza.
“People will see their homes turn to dust,” Unicef spokeswoman Tess Ingram said. Cogat, the Israeli agency that oversees the aid, said more than 500 trucks passed through on Friday.
The ceasefire plan will take place in three phases, starting with the exchange of hostages for prisoners. Later stages address the administration of Gaza and the disarmament of Hamas; Israel insists this condition is non-negotiable.
But Hamas appeared to be testing these limits yesterday by mobilizing thousands of militants to regain control of areas vacated by Israeli soldiers.
Armed troops were seen in many areas, some in civilian clothes and others in Gaza police uniforms.
According to local sources, the group, which was required to give up control as part of the peace agreement, appointed five new governors, all former brigade commanders, to oversee operations.
The mobilization order was reportedly sent via text message, calling for “general mobilization to clear Gaza of outlaws and Israeli collaborators.”
A Hamas official told the BBC: “We cannot leave Gaza to the mercy of thieves and militias backed by the Israeli occupation. Our weapons are legitimate and will remain so as long as the occupation continues.”
Megan Sutcliffe, regional expert at Sibylline Strategic Risk Group, said: “Hamas will argue that demobilization and disarmament are part of the next stages that still need to be negotiated.
“But this mobilization is clearly a challenge, a way to test how far they can go before Israel reacts.
“It is extremely worrying to take this very visible stance before negotiations are completed.
“There is now a very high probability of a resumption of hostilities.”
