The Egyptian president stressed that the Palestinian issue “tops the list of priorities in the Middle East”, while lauding Trump’s leadership in the peace process. He made no mention of the failures of Phase One, nor of moves to reign in the genocidal Israelis
By Lina Altawell
ISTANBUL (AA) – Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has accepted an invitation from his US counterpart, Donald Trump, to join the Gaza Board of Peace, the country’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday.
Egypt “agrees to accept the invitation after completing the relevant legal and constitutional procedures,” the ministry said in a statement.
The announcement comes in the wake of al-Sisi admitting that Egypt lost about $9 billion in direct revenues from the Suez Canal over two years due to regional instability linked to the Israeli genocide in the Gaza Strip.
Speaking on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, which began on Monday in Switzerland and runs until January 23, Sisi said the Suez Canal shipping route was heavily affected by the conflict.
The Egyptian president stressed that the Palestinian issue “tops the list of priorities in the Middle East.”
“We stress the need to cement the ceasefire in Gaza and allow humanitarian aid to enter.”
Egypt’s need to restore the lost Suez revenue line is considered as a major driver for al-Sisi taking up a seat on the Peace Board.
In its statement accounting the decision to accept Trump’s invitation, the ministry renewed Egypt’s appreciation of “Trump’s leadership and his commitment to ending the war in Gaza and achieving security, peace and stability in the Middle East.”
It reiterated support for the mission of the peace board as part of the second phase of the comprehensive plan to end the conflict in Gaza, in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2735, the statement said.
The ministry said Egypt will continue coordinating with the US and international partners to ensure a lasting ceasefire in Gaza, deliver humanitarian aid “without restrictions,” deploy an international stabilisation force and enable a technocratic Palestinian committee to administer Gaza.
It called for launching early recovery projects across Gaza in preparation for reconstruction and reaffirmed its backing for “the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state,” as well as efforts to achieve “just and lasting peace” that ensures security and stability for all countries and peoples of the region.
The creation of the board coincided with the launch of the second phase of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas that halted Israel’s war on Gaza, which has killed more than 71 000 people and injured over 171 000 others since October 2023.
Over 450 Gazan’s have been killed since the ceasefire was announced and over 1 200 injured. Of the key deliverables, only the return of Israeli hostages was met. Israel has reneged on allowing suffient humantiarian aid into Gaza, leaving residents to fend the cold, wet winter withour food or proper shelter.
The initiative is part of a 20-point plan proposed by Trump and adopted by the UN Security Council under Resolution 2803 in November 2025.
Trump is likely to serve as chairman of the “Board of Peace” on Gaza for life, according to a US official.
“The chairmanship can be held by President Trump until he resigns it,” the US official said, adding that “a future US president, however, may choose to appoint or designate the United States’ representative to the board,” ABC News reported on Wednesday.
The body’s proposed charter states: “Donald J Trump shall serve as inaugural Chairman of the Board of Peace”, but it does not mention the office of the US presidency or set any fixed term.
