(MENAFN- Gulf Times) The United States and Egypt's top diplomats reviewed preparations for a summit in Sharm El-Sheikh that will bring the two countries' presidents together with other leaders to discuss implementing the first phase of a Gaza ceasefire deal, likely Monday.
US President Donald Trump and his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi are expected to lead the summit, Egypt's Foreign Ministry said in a statement Saturday.
Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday discussed arrangements for the gathering, including for "international participation in the Sharm El-Sheikh summit, as well as preparations for the implementation of the first phase of the (ceasefire) deal".
Alongside the US and Qatar, Egypt has played a key role in mediating talks that eventually led to the latest ceasefire deal.
French President Emmanuel Macron is set to travel to Egypt on Monday to back the deal, the Elysee Palace said, while Spain's Pedro Sanchez and Italy's Giorgia Meloni are also expected to attend.
Earlier Trump had said he would meet a "lot of leaders" in Egypt on Monday to discuss the future of devastated Gaza.
Israel has agreed to the truce plan put forward by Trump, and on Friday pulled troops back from several areas of Gaza, setting the clock in motion for hostages held by Hamas to be released within 72 hours.
The head of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Saturday he visited Gaza to discuss post-conflict stabilization and insisted no US troops will be deployed to the Palestinian territory.
Admiral Brad Cooper wrote on X that he just returned from a trip to Gaza to discuss creation of a CENTCOM-led "civil-military coordination center" which will "support conflict stabilization."
Meanwhile, Israel has begun transferring prisoners to two jails ahead of their release as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal.
Under the truce deal Israel is supposed to release 250 prisoners, including some serving life sentences. In exchange, Hamas has until Monday to hand over its 48 remaining Israeli hostages -- living and dead.
Sharm El-Sheikh Summit Gaza summit Gaza ceasefire deal Gaza ceasefire

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