Trump Brokered Netanyahu’s Invitation to Gaza Peace Conference in Egypt

Trump Brokered Netanyahu’s Invitation to Gaza Peace Conference in Egypt

U.S. president credited with bringing Israeli and Arab leaders to the table amid fragile cease-fire talks

October 4, 2025 Cairo President Donald Trump personally intervened to secure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s invitation to a high-stakes Gaza peace conference in Cairo, according to U.S. and regional officials familiar with the negotiations.

The conference, set to convene early next week under the auspices of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, marks the most significant diplomatic gathering since the latest round of violence between Israel and Hamas erupted earlier this year.

Trump, who has made Middle East diplomacy a centerpiece of his second term, reportedly pressed Egyptian and Qatari mediators to include Israel at the table after initial plans excluded Netanyahu’s government from direct participation.

“The president was insistent that Israel have a voice in shaping what comes next,” a senior U.S. official said Friday. “He told both sides that peace cannot happen if one of the key players is left outside the room.”

Behind-the-Scenes Push

Officials say Trump spent several days in direct contact with Egyptian and Turkish officials, urging them to open the conference to all parties with “a legitimate stake in the region’s future.” The invitation was formally extended to Netanyahu late Thursday night, hours after Hamas announced its conditional agreement to release remaining Israeli hostages as part of a U.S.-backed cease-fire framework.

Netanyahu’s office confirmed he will attend the Cairo meeting, calling it a “critical opportunity” to discuss security guarantees and long-term governance in Gaza.

“Israel seeks peace, but peace must be rooted in security and recognition of our right to exist,” Netanyahu said in a brief televised statement Friday. “We appreciate President Trump’s efforts to ensure our voice will be heard.”

The move came after weeks of delicate diplomacy between Washington, Cairo, Doha and Ankara, with Trump personally phoning several Arab leaders to build consensus for a unified peace framework.

Tentative Cease-Fire Framework

The Gaza peace conference follows a tentative truce that went into effect last weekend, halting Israeli airstrikes and Hamas rocket fire after months of fighting that left thousands dead and displaced more than a million people.

According to U.S. officials, the Cairo meeting will focus on three key issues:

1. The phased release of hostages and detainees,

2. The establishment of an interim security mechanism for Gaza, and

3. The reconstruction and humanitarian corridor plan financed by a coalition of Arab and Western nations.

Trump has framed the peace push as an extension of his earlier “Abraham Accords 2.0” initiative, aimed at normalizing relations between Israel and more Arab states while securing long-term stability in Gaza.

“We’re very close to something historic,” Trump said during a brief exchange with reporters Friday. “The people of Israel and Palestine deserve a future without rockets, without bloodshed, and we’re helping them get there.”

Mixed Reaction Among Allies

European diplomats and some members of the United Nations Security Council expressed cautious optimism about the meeting, but several warned that long-standing mistrust between Israel and Hamas could derail progress before talks even begin.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who is also expected to attend, welcomed the U.S. involvement but urged Trump to “guarantee that this process does not become another photo opportunity.”

“Real peace requires accountability and justice,” Abbas said. “We will come to Cairo with hope — but also with memory.”

In Israel, opposition leaders have accused Netanyahu of using the conference as a political maneuver amid growing domestic criticism over his handling of the conflict. Meanwhile, right-wing members of his coalition warned against “capitulating to U.S. pressure” by engaging with Hamas-backed mediators.

Egypt’s Central Role

For Egypt, the conference is a chance to reassert its position as the primary regional broker between Israel and Palestinian factions. Egyptian officials have spent months mediating between the warring parties, often with quiet coordination from the CIA and Qatari intelligence.

An Egyptian foreign ministry official said the inclusion of Netanyahu “reflects the reality that peace cannot be achieved by excluding any side capable of making or breaking it.”

A Fragile Step Toward Peace

While expectations remain low for a comprehensive settlement, analysts say the mere fact that Israeli and Arab leaders will sit in the same room, with U.S. backing, is a notable breakthrough.

“Trump’s personal diplomacy remains unorthodox but occasionally effective,” said Lina Farhat, a Middle East analyst at the Brookings Doha Center. “This is one of those moments where boldness could pay off, or blow up.”

As delegations prepare to gather in Cairo next week, officials caution that even modest progress could take weeks to translate into tangible outcomes. Still, for the first time in months, the region appears to be inching toward dialogue rather than escalation.

“It’s fragile,” one senior diplomat said. “But at least, for now, people are talking.”