US President Donald Trump on Monday praised Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi’s “very important role” in securing a Gaza peace deal, while Al-Sisi in turn told the US leader he was the “only one capable of bringing about peace” in the Middle East.
The exchange took place during a joint appearance on Monday before the start of an international peace summit in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh to finalise an agreement aimed at ending the war in Gaza.
“I was sure you were the only one, Mr. President, who can end this war… the only one capable of bringing peace to our region,” Al-Sisi said of Trump as more than two dozen world leaders waited for the summit to begin. “We want to fixate the ceasefire and make sure it maintains.”
Trump reciprocated the praise, calling Al-Sisi a “friend of mine” and a powerful leader. “He played a very important role. I appreciate it very much,” Trump said, adding that the US was “with him all the way.”
During the bilateral meeting, Trump said that the second phase of peace negotiations between Hamas and Israel was already underway.
“Phase two has started,” Trump said. “And you know, the faces are all a little bit mixed in with each other. Gonna start cleaning up…if you look at Gaza, it needs a lot of clean up.” He also said that now that living hostages had been freed, the search for the bodies of victims would continue.
Trump’s 20-point peace proposal calls for the establishment of an international “Board of Peace” to supervise a new Gaza governing body, which Trump would lead. Asked by a reporter if Al-Sisi might have a seat on the board, Trump said, “I’d like to have him on the board.”
White House envoy Steve Witkoff added that he thinks there is a “long list of applicants” to be on the board.
The US president also said that Egypt has “very little crime” because “they don’t play games.”
