Trump-Sisi to chair Gaza peace conference in Egypt

US President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will co-chair the Gaza peace conference.

The conference, to be held in the Egyptian tourist city of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday, will be attended by world leaders. The UN chief will also be present.

Sisi's office said that "leaders from more than 20 countries" will attend the conference, which will be held in the Red Sea city.

The conference aims to "end the war in the Gaza Strip, expand efforts to establish peace and restore stability in the Middle East, and usher in a new era of regional security."

Egypt's Foreign Ministry said on Sunday that an agreement to "stop the war in the Gaza Strip" will be signed at the "historic" conference.

The statement added that the conference would “write a new chapter in peace and security and take steps to alleviate the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza.”

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Spain’s Pedro Sanchez have confirmed their attendance.

French President Emmanuel Macron and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will also travel to Sharm el-Sheikh, their respective offices said.

A European Council spokesman said the organization would be represented by its president, Antonia Costa.

The spokesman added that the Gaza plan “provides a realistic opportunity for a just and sustainable peace. The European Union is committed to supporting these initiatives and playing a role in their implementation.”

Jordan’s King Abdullah II will also attend the conference, according to local media.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not attend, his spokesman confirmed.

Despite receiving invitations, some countries have yet to confirm their representation. It is also not certain whether major powers such as China and Russia have received invitations at all.

The Palestinian armed group has already confirmed that no representative from Hamas will be there. However, Iran has been invited to the event.

Hossam Badran, a member of Hamas' political bureau, told AFP that they are "not involved in this initiative".

He had previously said that Hamas had mainly "participated in the talks through Qatari and Egyptian mediators."