Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi hailed Thursday's landmark ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas as a "historic moment" to end "two years of suffering and woes." "The world is witnessing a historic moment that embodies the triumph of the will for peace over the logic of war," Sisi wrote in a statement released from Sharm El-Sheikh, the Red Sea resort city where final negotiations were held. The agreement, brokered with the involvement of Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, follows months of back-channel diplomacy and brings an end to more than two years of devastating war in Gaza. The deal also signals the first formal diplomatic breakthrough under the peace plan initiated by US President Donald Trump, who announced earlier Thursday that both Israel and Hamas had signed off on the first phase. The ceasefire framework includes the immediate release of all hostages held in Gaza and a phased withdrawal of Israeli troops to a previously agreed-upon security line inside the territory. A second phase, expected to be negotiated in the coming weeks, will address long-term security arrangements, reconstruction efforts, and governance in the Gaza Strip. "From Sharm El-Sheikh — the city of peace and the cradle of dialogue and understanding — an agreement is reached to establish a ceasefire and end the war in Gaza after two years of suffering and woes," Sisi said. The president referred to the coastal city that has hosted numerous Middle East peace conferences over the past two decades. A Diplomatic Tightrope Egypt's role in facilitating the deal was far from symbolic. Cairo hosted high-level delegations from both Israel and Hamas, including leaders of the Palestinian faction who walked openly in Sharm El-Sheikh, despite recent Israeli warnings that Hamas figures would be targeted "wherever they are." The city, less than 300 miles from Tel Aviv, became the unlikely stage for discreet but decisive diplomacy. By providing safe passage and political cover for Hamas negotiators—especially after tensions flared over Israeli accusations that Qatar was harbouring militant leaders—Egypt positioned itself as a neutral broker capable of maintaining backchannel dialogue while managing its own complex security interests. Trump's Return to the Peace Table The deal marks a rare moment of foreign policy triumph for Trump, who praised the mediators and declared that "all parties will be treated fairly" under what he described as a "Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace." Trump has hinted that he may travel to Egypt this weekend as his negotiators seek to seal a Gaza hostages-for-ceasefire deal. On Wednesday, Sisi said he would welcome Trump to Egypt to sign a peace deal if talks succeed. While the agreement bears his imprint, much of the groundwork was laid by regional actors—including Egyptian intelligence officials and Qatari diplomats—who helped bridge deep divides between the warring parties. An Opening, and a Warning Sisi offered an optimistic view of what the agreement could mean for the region. "This agreement does not only close the chapter of war," Sisi wrote, "it also opens the door of hope for the peoples of the region for a future defined by justice and stability." The challenge now is turning a signed agreement into lasting peace—no small task in a region where ceasefires have collapsed before, and where trust remains elusive. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English
