Trump and Abbas Meet for First Time in Eight Years at Egypt Gaza Summit

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt, Oct 13:  In a moment of high diplomatic significance, US President Donald Trump and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met face-to-face on Monday during the Gaza Peace Summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, marking their first encounter in eight years.

The two leaders shook hands and exchanged brief remarks before Trump, smiling, held Abbas’s hand and gave a thumbs-up to photographers and delegates gathered at the summit. The symbolic gesture was widely seen as a signal of optimism amid renewed efforts to bring lasting peace to Gaza and the wider Middle East.

The meeting took place during the opening session of the Egypt-hosted summit, which brought together world leaders to endorse and sign the newly negotiated Gaza peace agreement, a deal aimed at securing a permanent ceasefire and launching a framework for reconstruction and governance in the war-torn enclave.

French President Emmanuel Macron played a key role in facilitating the encounter, personally escorting President Abbas to the podium to meet Trump. Observers described the moment as “unexpected but powerful,” given the years of diplomatic distance between Washington and the Palestinian leadership.

The last meeting between Trump and Abbas occurred in 2017, during peace discussions in Washington that ultimately collapsed amid heightened regional tensions.

While no formal statements were made during the brief exchange, officials familiar with the summit said both leaders expressed support for the new peace framework and a desire to “turn a new page” in US-Palestinian relations.

The Sharm El-Sheikh Gaza Summit has drawn dozens of heads of state and diplomats, including leaders from the United States, France, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Nations, who are working together to ensure the success of the ceasefire agreement and the long-term stability of Gaza.

Diplomatic analysts say the Trump-Abbas handshake could mark the beginning of a new era of dialogue between Washington and Ramallah, though much will depend on the follow-through of commitments made in Egypt.

— Voice of Malaysia News