Tel Aviv [Israel], October 13 (ANI): Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday announced that he will not travel to Egypt’s Sharm El-Sheikh to attend the Gaza Peace Summit with global leaders, citing “time constraints” ahead of the Shemini Atzeret-Simchat Torah holiday, which begins Monday evening.
Following earlier reports that Netanyahu had accepted Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s invitation to join the summit, his office clarified that he would not make the trip. Netanyahu was with US President Donald Trump in the Knesset Chamber when the call with Sisi occurred.
In a post on X, the Office of the Prime Minister of Israel stated: “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been invited by US President Donald Trump to attend today’s conference in Egypt. The Prime Minister thanked President Trump for the invitation but said he will be unable to attend due to time constraints ahead of the start of the holiday.”
Israeli leaders traditionally refrain from traveling during Jewish holidays and the Sabbath, except under exceptional circumstances. Notably, Netanyahu did not specifically mention Sisi in the announcement but expressed appreciation to Trump for his efforts to “expand the circle of peace — peace through strength,” and endorsed the US President for the Nobel Peace Prize next year.
The announcement came as all 20 living hostages held by Hamas were being returned to Israel. US President Donald Trump arrived in Israel on Monday as the hostage exchange continued and was welcomed by senior Israeli officials.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that the remaining 13 hostages freed by Hamas are en route to Israel after being handed over to the Red Cross in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis. They are being escorted by IDF and Israel Security Agency (ISA) personnel for initial medical assessments.
The freed hostages have been identified as Elkana Bohbot, Avinatan Or, Yosef-Haim Ohana, Evyatar David, Rom Braslavski, Segev Kalfon, Nimrod Cohen, Maxim Herkin, Eitan Horn, Matan Zangauker, Bar Kupershtein, David Cunio, and Ariel Cunio.
“The commanders and soldiers of the IDF salute and embrace the returning hostages as they make their way home to the State of Israel,” the IDF said in a statement.
Earlier, the IDF confirmed that the first seven hostages — Gali and Ziv Berman, Matan Angrest, Alon Ohel, Omri Miran, Eitan Mor, and Guy Gilboa-Dallal — had safely been escorted out of the Gaza Strip and arrived at an IDF facility near the border community of Re’im for physical and mental evaluations. (ANI)
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