Keir Starmer is set to travel to Egypt for an international peace summit aimed at solidifying the recently agreed ceasefire in Gaza.
During the summit, Prime Minister Starmer is expected to express gratitude towards Donald Trump, who is also anticipated to be present, as well as acknowledge the diplomatic efforts of Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey. A significant moment at the event will be the formal signing of the Gaza peace plan, marking a pivotal juncture for the Middle East following the two-year conflict, as announced by No 10.
The peace proposal, consisting of 20 points put forth by the US president, proposes that Israel maintains a continuous military presence within Gaza along its border. Security within the enclave would be overseen by an international coalition mainly comprising troops from Arab and Muslim nations.
The Israeli military has confirmed it will uphold defensive operations from the portion of Gaza it still governs after withdrawing to agreed-upon boundaries. The initial phase of the plan aims to reunite remaining hostages with their families and release Palestinian detainees by Monday morning. Sir Keir will extend appreciation to Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey for their role in reaching this stage, along with praising Mr. Trump, while stressing the importance of ongoing collaboration to advance to the next phase of the truce.
US envoy Steve Witkoff informed Israeli authorities that the US will establish a coordination center in Israel to address Gaza-related matters until a permanent government is in place.
The plan does not involve deploying US troops on the ground in Gaza, but personnel reporting to the US may conduct aerial surveillance over the area. Additionally, a joint mission including the US, Qatar, Egypt, and other nations and organizations will work to locate and identify hostage remains to prevent misidentification issues.
The exact involvement of the 200 US troops heading to Israel in this mission or a separate initiative remains unclear.
The conflict in Gaza was initiated by a surprise attack by Hamas-led militants on Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in approximately 1,200 fatalities and 251 individuals being taken hostage.
Subsequent Israeli military actions have led to over 67,000 Palestinian deaths and nearly 170,000 injuries in Gaza, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry. The ministry’s data, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but notes that around half of the casualties were women and children, is widely accepted by the United Nations and independent experts as the most reliable source for wartime casualty figures.