Cairo set to host peace summit on Gaza

Egypt is set to host an international summit to discuss the escalating fighting between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza.

In an earlier statement, Egyptian authorities said the summit aims to push for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza after Israel’s relentless bombing killed around 4,000 Palestinians and injured more than 13,000.

The hastily convened, which will bring together international and regional leaders, will explore ways to protect civilians from the ongoing violence and arrive at a just solution for the Palestinian issue, Arab News reports.

Egyptian President Abdelfattah El-Sisi called on the summit as convoys of aid remained stuck at the Rafah border crossing. An agreement was reached with Israel to allow 20 trucks of aid a day as medical and food supplies run out of Gaza, causing a more staggering humanitarian crisis.

Regional leaders expected to attend include Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Jordanian King Abdullah, Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, and Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah.

A list of international attendees includes Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs James Cleverly.