Gaza ceasefire deal signed in Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt -- A summit on ending the Gaza war kicked off here Monday, which witnessed the signing of the recently-reached ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

Gathering leaders from more than 20 countries as well as regional and international organizations, the summit is co-chaired by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and his US counterpart, Donald Trump.

The summit will discuss ending the war in the Gaza Strip, enhancing efforts to bring peace and stability to the Middle East, and ushering in a new phase of regional security and stability, according to the Egyptian presidency.

The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas entered into effect on Friday, following three days of intensive negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh between the two sides mediated by Egypt, Qatar, Türkiye and the United States.

The first phase of the plan includes Israeli troop withdrawals from Gaza City, Rafah, Khan Younis, and the north, and the opening of five crossings for aid, and the exchange of hostages and prisoners. Hamas announced earlier in the day that it had handed over all 20 of the remaining live hostages, who were captured during the attack on southern Israel on Oct 7, 2023.

Meanwhile, Israeli authorities have begun releasing nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners as part of the exchange deal. More than two years of Israeli military operations have devastated Gaza, killing over 67,000 people and triggering famine, according to Gaza's health authorities and UN-backed food experts.