U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he may travel to Egypt this weekend to finalize a long-awaited Gaza peace deal after President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi publicly invited him to come to Cairo to sign the agreement if negotiations succeed.
Speaking during the Police Academy’s 2025 Graduation Day ceremony, President El-Sisi called on Trump to visit Egypt “in case of reaching an agreement,” emphasizing the importance of ending the two-year war in Gaza and beginning reconstruction efforts.
“I invite President Trump to come to Egypt to sign the agreement to end the war,” El-Sisi said. “The world is waiting for an end to the conflict, the release of hostages, the delivery of humanitarian aid, and the start of reconstruction for the people of Gaza and the West Bank.”
El-Sisi noted that Sharm El-Sheikh is currently hosting negotiations aimed at ending the war, with delegations from Egypt, the United States, Qatar, Israel, and Hamas participating. He praised Trump’s “genuine will” to end the war, saying that U.S. envoys had arrived in Egypt on Tuesday carrying a “clear message” and “strong mandate” from the U.S. president to push for an agreement.
U.S. Envoys in Sharm El-Sheikh
El-Sisi confirmed that Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and U.S. Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff are leading the American delegation in Sharm El-Sheikh. The Egyptian president said the information he has received from the talks is “very encouraging,” describing the envoys’ message as “strong” and “clear.”
“The envoys are carrying a strong message and a clear mandate from President Trump,” he said.
El-Sisi reiterated Egypt’s commitment to a peaceful resolution and called on all sides to “seize this opportunity” to end the war, which he described as “a harsh war that the region has been suffering from for two years.”
Shortly after El-Sisi’s speech, Trump told reporters he may travel to Egypt this weekend, saying negotiators are “very close” to reaching an agreement, echoing the Egyptian President.
“I may depart on Saturday,” Trump said. “They are going to need me pretty quickly.”
Trump’s comments came as the third day of ceasefire negotiations came to a conclusion in Sharm El-Sheikh, where delegations are working to finalize details of Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan. The plan reportedly includes provisions for a ceasefire, the release of prisoners, Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and the start of reconstruction efforts.
Expanded Negotiations
The talks in Sharm El-Sheikh have expanded to include multiple regional and international stakeholders. Alongside delegations from Egypt, the United States, Qatar, Israel, and Hamas, new participants joined the discussions on Wednesday, including representatives from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).
Also attending are Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin, and Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer.
An expanded session was held Wednesday morning between Egyptian intelligence officials, the Qatari prime minister, and senior U.S., Turkish, and Israeli envoys following a closed meeting with the Hamas delegation.
The negotiations in Sharm El-Sheikh are expected to continue through the week, with sources close to the discussions saying progress has been made on key points but several contentious issues remain unresolved, including the security framework for Gaza’s reconstruction and the future role of Hamas in the territory.
If the parties reach a final agreement, Trump’s potential visit to Egypt would mark the most significant step toward reaching peace in Gaza, where more than 60,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed by Israel since October 2023.
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