Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday departed for Egypt to participate in the signing ceremony of the Gaza Peace Agreement on the special invitation of US President Donald Trump and Egyptian President.
The event marks a major diplomatic step toward ending the months-long conflict in Gaza.
According to official sources, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar.
The delegation will represent Pakistan at the Gaza Peace Summit, which aims to solidify a permanent ceasefire and initiate reconstruction efforts in the war-torn region.
The Gaza Summit, being held in Egypt today, is co-chaired by US President Donald Trump and the Egyptian President. Heads of over twenty nations, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, German Chancellor, French President, and British Prime Minister Caruso, have arrived in Cairo for the signing ceremony.
Meanwhile, Hamas and Iran have refused to attend the event, citing reservations over the terms of the peace plan and the role of international mediators.
Ceasefire and prisoner exchange underway
US President Donald Trump announced that the “war in Gaza is over,” adding that a permanent ceasefire will remain in place and that a Gaza Peace Council will soon be formed to oversee the implementation of the agreement.
As part of the peace deal, an extensive exchange of captives between Israel and Hamas began on Monday under international supervision — a crucial test for the fragile ceasefire. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is overseeing the process, facilitating the transfer of hostages and Palestinian prisoners.
Hamas released the names of 20 Israeli captives — including twin siblings Gali and Ziv Berman — while Israel is set to release 1,718 Palestinian detainees, slightly fewer than the initially agreed figure. The adjustment came after Israel’s government replaced minors detained during the conflict with two women prisoners.
Israeli government spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian confirmed that all 20 living captives are expected to return home by early Monday. Following medical checks at a Gaza military base, the freed hostages will reunite with their families.
Israel will also repatriate the bodies of 28 captives who died in captivity. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the moment as “an emotional day of unity,” stating, “Tomorrow, our children will return to our borders. It is the beginning of rebuilding and healing.”
