The Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit on Monday highlighted a joint declaration by the United States, Qatar, Turkiye, and the host Egypt, supporting enduring peace and prosperity for both Palestinians and Israelis, while Qatar announced the start of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement.

The declaration on what is being called US President Donald Trump's "peace agreement" said the four leaders are committed to resolving future disputes through diplomatic engagement rather than through force or protracted conflict, a stance backed by other participants.

The signed declaration welcomed "the truly historic commitment and implementation by all parties", saying, "We understand that lasting peace will be one in which both Palestinians and Israelis can prosper with their fundamental human rights protected, their security guaranteed, and their dignity upheld."

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The summit witnessed the participation of leaders from more than 20 countries as well as regional and international organizations.

The Egyptian presidency said the summit aimed to "end the war" in Gaza and "usher in a new page of peace and regional stability". "There was also a strong emphasis on the need to commence consultations on the means and mechanisms to implement the upcoming phases of President Trump's settlement plan, starting with issues related to governance and providing security, the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, and culminating in the political track for settlement," it added.

Qatar expressed its hope that the positive results from the Peace Summit will meet the aspirations of the people in the Gaza Strip and contribute to a comprehensive and just solution for the Palestinian cause.

Official Spokesperson of Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Majed Mohammed Al-Ansari, told Fox News that talks to begin the second phase of the agreement have already started in Sharm el-Sheikh.

He said they postponed the examination of many issues until the second phase of ceasefire negotiations, so that the first phase could happen smoothly.

"Currently … difficult negotiations have begun to examine the process of securing the Gaza Strip and its administration and ensuring that the war does not resume," Al-Ansari said.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas were among those who attended the US-Egyptian-hosted summit on Monday.

Lasting peace urged

In a post on X, the UN chief called on all parties "to consolidate the ceasefire and transform it into lasting peace".

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, who returned to Indonesia from Egypt on Tuesday, told the media that he views the significant efforts as a promising start toward peace in Gaza, to which Indonesia is ready to contribute. Israeli Prime Minister's office confirmed that Benjamin Netanyahu had been invited by Trump to attend the Egypt summit but declined "due to time constraints ahead of the start of the holiday".

The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said in a post on X that it was time "to let in humanitarian aid at scale, including through UNRWA".

Hamas announced on Monday that it had handed over all 20 remaining living hostages. Meanwhile, Israeli authorities have begun releasing nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners as part of the exchange deal.

While Israel and Hamas are struggling to release more dead hostages, several Palestinian civilians were reportedly killed by Israeli forces east of Gaza City amid a supposed truce agreement in effect for the fifth consecutive day.

Five people were killed when Israeli drones fired at residents inspecting their homes in the eastern part of Gaza City, Al Jazeera reported.

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed on X that the individuals were shot, claiming they were approaching its soldiers when targeted.

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Gokhan Batu, an analyst on Israel studies at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies in Turkiye, told China Daily that in theory, the return of hostages "could have made it easier for Netanyahu to resume the war, strengthening his domestic leverage and public confidence". However, he said, Trump's "firm stance" has limited that possibility and redirected momentum toward maintaining calm.

"Israeli government statements also differ notably from previous phases — officials are now portraying the ceasefire as a form of victory," Batu said.

Yet it is important to remain cautious. "In my view, this was not even close to a peace deal. There are structural and deep-rooted problems, thousands of technical issues to deal with. So, it was a ceremony of sealing the ceasefire, no more," he added.

Leonardus Jegho in Jakarta contributed to this story.

Contact the writers at jan@chinadailyapac.com