Political leaders from around the world gathered in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on Monday for a ceremony marking the signing of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, a deal mediated by Egypt, Qatar, Turkiye, and led by US President Donald Trump.

Standing before an audience of regional and international dignitaries, Trump declared the end of what he described as a “dark chapter” in the Middle East and promised a new era of reconstruction and prosperity.

“A new and beautiful day is rising, and now the rebuilding begins,” Trump said. “Rebuilding is maybe going to be the easiest part — we know how to build better than anybody in the world.”

The ceasefire ends two years of devastating Israeli military operations in Gaza, which killed at least 67,869 Palestinians, with thousands more still missing under the rubble, according to local officials. Entire neighborhoods have been flattened, and much of the Strip is now uninhabitable.

“There is nothing recognisable about many of the neighbourhoods that we knew,” said Mahmoud, a resident who recently returned to Gaza. “It’s just rubble everywhere.”

---

A Fragile Peace

While the agreement has been greeted with relief, it has also stirred anxiety about what comes next. Many observers warn that Gaza’s reconstruction remains hostage to Israeli security conditions and international politics.

“Gaza’s reconstruction also requires that it be demilitarised,” Trump said, underscoring Israel’s long-standing demand.

Later, however, the United States, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkiye issued a joint statement striking a more conciliatory tone, calling for “tolerance, dignity, and equal opportunity for every person” in the region — regardless of “race, faith, or ethnicity.”

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, while praising Trump’s mediation, warned that a lasting peace remains impossible without the creation of a Palestinian state.

“The experiences of the past decades have shown that peace can only be established upon justice and equality in rights,” he said.

---

Questions Over Gaza’s Future

Despite international calls for Palestinian sovereignty, Israel has rejected the establishment of a Palestinian state, and the US has offered only vague assurances about Gaza’s political future.

Reports suggest that a new “Board of Peace” — co-chaired by Trump and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair — could oversee Gaza’s postwar governance, with a council of Palestinian technocrats managing day-to-day affairs under supervision.

The plan has raised concerns about legitimacy and representation.

“We need to look at who would actually be making the decisions,” said Zeidon Alkinani, a lecturer at Georgetown University in Qatar. “Are we ending the issues that led to this war, or just pausing them temporarily?”

The US also faced criticism for continuing to supply Israel with weapons and diplomatic cover during the conflict, even as the scale of destruction in Gaza prompted international outrage and accusations of genocide by scholars and rights groups.

---

Relief Mixed With Doubt

For now, the guns have fallen silent, and diplomatic attention has shifted to the daunting task of rebuilding Gaza. But analysts caution that without political change — particularly regarding Palestinian rights and statehood — this ceasefire may prove temporary.

“World leaders are aligning to end this conflict,” Alkinani said. “But how sustainable is this peace? That’s the real question.”