 "PM Modi invited by Trump for Gaza 'peace summit' in Egypt on Oct 13: Report")
US President Donald Trump has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the Gaza 'peace summit' in Egypt’s Sharm-el Sheikh on October 13, according to a report by The Indian Express. The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) is yet to officially confirm his attendance for the event.
According to the report, the Prime Minister was given a "last-minute invitation" by Trump and Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
The report comes a day after Sergio Gor, the US Ambassador-designate to India, met PM Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in New Delhi.
"I had an incredible meeting with Prime Minister Modi. We discussed bilateral issues, including defence, trade and technology," Gor said after meeting the Prime Minister.
Gor further said the US "greatly values" its relationship with India, and US President Donald Trump considers PM Modi as a "great and personal friend".
PM Modi also posted about the meeting on his X handle, saying, "Glad to receive Mr Sergio Gor, Ambassador-designate of the US to India. I'm confident that his tenure will further strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership."
Who are attending the 'peace summit'?
Donald Trump and Egypt's al-Sisi will chair the summit, which will reportedly witness leaders of 20 countries in attendance.
According to Egyptian presidency, the meeting will take place on Monday afternoon Egypt’s Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh. The meeting will aim “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 stability”.
According to a report by Axios, al-Sisi has reached out to several European and Arab leaders with invitations. These inlcude Germany, France, the UK, Italy, Qatar, the UAE, Jordan, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Indonesia.
According to The Guardian, UN secretary general Antonio Guterres, Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian PM Giorgia Meloni, Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez French president, and French President Emmanuel Macron have confirmed their attendance.
Israel and Gazan militant group Hamas are reportedly unlikely to participate in the summit.
Gaza peace negotiations
The peace negotiations are being mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and Turkiye, with the United States playing a central role. The summit seeks to formalise a ceasefire roadmap and humanitarian aid framework for Gaza, amid one of the region’s deadliest conflicts in decades.
"The summit aims to end the war in the Gaza Strip, enhance efforts to bring peace and stability to the Middle East, and usher in a new phase of regional security and stability. This summit comes in light of US President Trump's vision for achieving peace in the region and his relentless efforts to end conflicts around the world," the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.
The first phase of the Gaza peace plan includes Israeli troop withdrawals from Gaza City, Rafah, Khan Younis, and the north, the opening of five crossings for aid, and the release of hostages and prisoners.
A Hamas source told Xinhua on Friday that the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt is expected to reopen mid-next week, allowing limited civilian movement, though operational details remain unclear.
More than 67,000 people have been killed in Gaza over the past two years of Israeli military operations, according to Gaza’s health authorities, with famine-like conditions affecting large parts of the enclave.