Historic Gaza Peace Agreement: Key Highlights from a Crucial Day

A groundbreaking agreement on peace in Gaza has marked a pivotal moment in ongoing negotiations, with key stakeholders reaching consensus after intense discussions. The day’s developments signal a potential turning point for the region’s future stability.

Symbolic Summit in Sharm el-Sheikh

Under the chandeliers of Sharm el-Sheikh, anticipation and cautious hope filled the air on October 13, 2025. Framing the event as a “historic day for peace,” Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi envisioned the signing of a new agreement on the Gaza Strip as an inflection point—a possible dawn for a “new era of peace and stability” in the volatile Middle East. Yet, notable absentees at this gathering were the direct adversaries themselves: neither representatives from Israel nor from Hamas attended, even as some thirty Arab and European leaders assembled for the occasion.

A Peace Accord Marked by Ambiguities

Presiding jointly over the meeting, former US President Donald Trump, visibly triumphant, declared: “At last, peace reigns in the Middle East after this tremendous day.” However, few specifics about the joint declaration were made public by its four mediators—United States, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey. The text promises a lasting ceasefire, but many critical elements remain shrouded in uncertainty. Among them:

• The actual implementation of Hamas’s disarmament—accepted in principle, but far from guaranteed.
• The political future of Gaza: details about a new Peace Council’s makeup and powers are yet to be defined.

Additionally, Egypt announced plans for an international conference to focus on reconstructing Palestinian territory—another step on what looks to be a long road.

Diplomatic Gestures and International Roles

A widely photographed handshake between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Donald Trump provided perhaps the summit’s most indelible image. French President Emmanuel Macron, accompanied by other European heads of state and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, projected both caution and hope. Behind them, a colossal “PEACE 2025” banner offered an almost theatrical backdrop to this carefully orchestrated display of diplomacy.

Cautious Optimism Amid Unresolved Issues

Returning to Paris, Macron injected a dose of realism into proceedings: he lauded this “historic day,” but stressed that “many chapters still remain unwritten.” The eventual role granted to the Palestinian Authority in governing Gaza stands as a pivotal question. Meanwhile, prior celebrations in Jerusalem saw Trump hail the end of a “long nightmare,” referencing an unprecedented exchange: twenty hostages freed in return for nearly two thousand Palestinian prisoners—a striking milestone that underscores both progress and fragility on the path toward genuine regional stabilization.