Macron to travel to Egypt Monday to back Gaza ceasefire

CAIRO – 11 October 2025: French President Emmanuel Macron will travel to Egypt on Monday to hold discussions “with partners on the next steps” of the recently approved Gaza peace plan, the Élysée Palace announced Saturday.

Macron is set to visit the Red Sea resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh, which last week hosted indirect talks between Hamas and Israel that led to the plan’s approval. The negotiations were mediated by Egypt, the United States, Qatar, and Turkey.

The agreement represents the first phase of a broader peace plan proposed by US President Donald Trump. This current phase includes a ceasefire, a prisoner-swap arrangement, and a surge in humanitarian aid arriving in the famine-stricken enclave.

The ceasefire took effect Friday at noon, bringing an end to a devastating two-year war that killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, displaced the majority of Gaza’s population, and triggered a widespread humanitarian crisis.

Under the terms of the agreement, Hamas is expected to release all 48 captives they still hold over the next three days, about 20 of whom are believed to be alive.

Israel and Hamas will later discuss subsequent phases of Trump’s plan, which address several contentious issues, including Hamas disarmament, post-war governance in Gaza, and security guarantees to prevent a resumption of hostilities.

Trump is also scheduled to visit Egypt on Monday for a summit of world leaders set to convene this week to mark the ceasefire agreement, four sources familiar with the matter told Axios.

Trump will go to Sharm El-Sheikh directly after a visit to Israel where he is expected to deliver a speech before the Knesset.

Meanwhile, Egypt is preparing to host an international conference on Gaza’s reconstruction and early recovery, aimed at rebuilding homes and infrastructure while ensuring that Palestinians remain on their land.

President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to hosting the conference during a phone call with his Cypriot counterpart, Nikos Christodoulides, on Saturday.