Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that he will not attend a peace summit on Gaza in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.1 His office stated that his decision was based on the timing of the event, which was “due to the proximity of the event to the start of the holiday,” referencing the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah.2
This announcement came after some confusion, as the Egyptian presidency had initially stated that both Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas would be attending.3 The summit, co-chaired by U.S. President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi, is intended to formalize the ceasefire agreement and discuss future governance in the region.4
