Netanyahu declines last-minute invite to Gaza peace summit

Israel and Hamas were initially excluded from the conference lineup, which will be attended by world leaders from Europe and the Islamic and Arab world.

By World Israel News Staff

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declined an invitation to attend a high-profile international summit on the future of the Gaza Strip, which is set to begin in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, later today (Monday.)

Neither Israel nor Hamas were originally invited to attend the conference, though Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas confirmed his participation in the summit.

The invitation to the Israeli leader came only hours before the event was scheduled to begin. Despite initial reports that he would attend, Netanyahu’s office clarified that he will skip the event because it coincides with the Jewish religious holiday of Simchat Torah.

Notably, two years ago launched its deadly invasion of southern Israel on the the same holiday, which corresponds to the civil calendar date of October 7, 2023.

The summit, led by U.S. President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, will bring together major world leaders from across the Middle East, Europe, and Asia.

Among those expected to attend the conference are representatives from Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, alongside key Western leaders such as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

The conference aims to explore “practical ways to end the war in the Gaza Strip, enhance efforts to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East, and usher in a new era of regional security and cooperation.”

Notably, El-Sisi has harshly criticized Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and has not spoken directly with Netanyahu throughout the war, despite the longstanding peace treaty between Egypt and Israel.

El-Sisi reportedly extended a formal invitation to Netanyahu on Monday afternoon, following a phone call, in which Trump also participated.

Iran was also invited but declined to participate. The Islamic Republic’s foreign ministry publicly confirmed it had received and rejected the invitation.