(MENAFN) UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Egypt on Sunday to participate in an international peace summit focused on achieving a ceasefire in Gaza, according to reports.

Downing Street stated that Starmer will pay “particular tribute” to U.S. President Donald Trump during the gathering in Sharm El-Sheikh on Monday.

The summit, co-chaired by Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, aims “to end the war in the Gaza Strip, enhance efforts to bring peace and stability to the Middle East and usher in a new phase of regional security and stability,” as outlined by Cairo.

Over 20 global leaders are expected to attend, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, French President Emmanuel Macron, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Earlier this week, Trump announced that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first stage of his 20-point ceasefire plan. This initial phase involves the release of all Israeli captives in exchange for approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, alongside a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. The first phase took effect on Friday.

The plan’s second phase calls for establishing a new governing body in Gaza without Hamas, deploying a multinational security force, and disarming the group.

Since the conflict erupted on October 7, 2023, Israeli military operations have killed over 67,600 Palestinians, the majority of them women and children, leaving Gaza largely uninhabitable.

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