SHARM EL SHEIKH: Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas will attend the Gaza summit taking place in Egypt later Monday.
French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed Abbas’s participation in the summit co-chaired by US President Donald Trump and Egypt’s Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
More than 20 leaders will gather to mark the Gaza ceasefire and the return of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian detainees.
Abbas leads the Palestinian Authority and is a rival of Hamas, whose attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 sparked the war in Gaza.
Neither Israel nor Hamas will be represented at the summit according to the announcement.
Macron described Abbas’s attendance as a very good sign and recognition of the Palestinian Authority’s role as a legitimate entity.
France will support the Palestinian Authority on governance questions and ensure it plays its part while conducting reforms for the future. – AFP