President Trump, on October 9th (17th Mehr), announced during a Cabinet meeting that officials from the Islamic Republic of Iran have confirmed their support for the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, as well as the release of hostages. Trump also added that the U.S. government seeks cooperation with Iran regarding the Gaza crisis. Trump stated that Iranian officials had informed him that they support any agreement that leads to the end of the Gaza war. He continued by saying that the attack on Iran in the past was very important, and had it not occurred, Iran would likely have nuclear weapons today. According to Trump, Iran now intends to work toward achieving peace in Gaza. The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also issued a statement welcoming any action that leads to the cessation of war and war crimes in Gaza, while warning about the potential violation of commitments by Israel. The statement read: “The Islamic Republic of Iran has always supported any initiative and action that leads to halting the genocidal war, the withdrawal of occupying forces, the entry of humanitarian aid, the release of Palestinian prisoners, and the securing of the fundamental rights of Palestinians.”
Trump’s visit to Israel and upcoming negotiations
President Trump also announced that his visit to Israel will take place on Sunday, October 20th (12th October), following the signing of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. According to reports, the first phase of the ceasefire agreement has been signed between Hamas and Israel in the Gaza Strip.
Turkey and its role in monitoring the ceasefire
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey announced that his country will participate in monitoring the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and will play a significant role in the reconstruction of Gaza. According to Turkish officials, the country will also be involved in a joint task force with Israel, the United States, Qatar, and Egypt to locate the bodies of Israeli hostages in Gaza.
International reactions to the Gaza peace agreement
Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, welcomed the ceasefire agreement and the release of hostages, urging all parties to adhere to the terms of the agreement. Guterres emphasized that after the establishment of a permanent ceasefire, the United Nations is ready to send humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority, also welcomed the peace agreement between Israel and Hamas, calling for the release of all hostages and the immediate delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
The official U.S. invitation to Iran for the Gaza peace summit
Barak Ravid, a reporter for the Axios news site, announced in a message on the social media platform X that the U.S. Department of State has issued an official invitation for a summit on Gaza. The summit is scheduled to take place on Monday in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.
According to reports, the United States has significantly expanded the list of invited countries for this summit. Countries such as Spain, Japan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Hungary, India, El Salvador, Cyprus, Greece, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Canada have also been added to the list.
Barak Ravid also reported that, according to an informed source, Iran is among the invited countries for the summit. This comes despite the fact that relations between Iran and the United States have been under pressure on many issues.
While the Israeli regime has stated that it will not participate in the summit, the presidency of Egypt has announced that the city of Sharm El-Sheikh will host the meeting. The main goal of this summit is to end the war in the Gaza Strip and strengthen efforts to establish peace and stability in the Middle East. More than 20 countries will participate in the summit.
According to an official statement from the Egyptian presidency, the summit will be co-chaired by General Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the President of Egypt, and President Donald Trump, the President of the United States. Another important goal of this summit is to open a new chapter in regional security and stability.