Palestinian President Abbas To Attend Gaza Summit, Says Macron

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will attend the Gaza summit in Egypt on Monday (October 13, 2025), said the French President Emmanuel Macron.

He was invited by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who is hosting the event in Sharm el-Sheikh alongside US President Donald Trump.

Leaders from more than 20 countries are expected to attend, including UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza allows for a potential role for Abbas’s Palestinian Authority (PA) once it has implemented reforms, although Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected its involvement.

The PA governs parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank and is run by Fatah, a rival of Hamas. Abbas also heads the PLO, the umbrella organisation representing Palestinians at international fora.

Last month, Abbas, 89, was barred from travelling to New York to attend the UN General Assembly in person, after he and 80 other Palestinian officials had their visas revoked by the US State Department.

Speaking via video at the assembly, he said he was ready to work with world leaders on a peace plan for Israel and the Palestinians. He reiterated his rejection of any future governing role for Hamas in Gaza and called for its disarmament.

The first phase of Trump’s 20-point peace plan was agreed by Israel and Hamas on Wednesday, with a ceasefire coming into effect on Friday.

This phase will include the exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners on Monday. Negotiations are then expected over later phases, including Gaza’s governance, the extent of Israeli troop withdrawals, and Hamas’s disarmament.

Both Israel and Hamas have confirmed that their officials will not attend the summit in Egypt.