U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, at approximately 3:07 PM UTC on October 13th, 2025, to attend a summit on Gaza, following the completion of Hamas's release of all 20 living hostages. President Trump's arrival in Egypt occurred as the Israeli Air Force confirmed the transport of the final released hostages to Sheba Hospital in central Israel. Among those transported was Nimrod Cohen, the sole survivor of four soldiers in a tank attacked by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Cohen was released after 738 days in captivity alongside 19 other hostages, a development celebrated by groups including the Kurdish community in Germany. Earlier today, Prime Minister Netanyahu's attendance at the Sharm El Sheikh summit was confirmed after President Trump facilitated a conversation between Netanyahu and Egyptian President A-Sisi. According to a source familiar with the details, Trump suggested Netanyahu attend the summit during their ride from Ben Gurion Airport to the Knesset in Jerusalem. Trump then mediated between A-Sisi and Netanyahu, leading to A-Sisi extending an invitation which Netanyahu accepted. Despite the summit preparations and the completion of the hostage release, reports indicate that Prime Minister Netanyahu, along with MBZ and MBS, have decided not to attend the Sharm El Sheikh summit. The summit's preparations were visible in Sharm El Sheikh, with scenes of the city preparing for the event shared. President Trump had previously departed Tel Aviv, Israel, for Sharm El Sheikh around 2:07 PM UTC, concluding his visit to Israel. During his visit, he addressed the Israeli Knesset and met with victims of the October 7th terrorist operations. The summit in Sharm El Sheikh is intended to address the ongoing situation in Gaza. In related developments, the IDF Spokesman previously stated that the return of hostages is the "realization of a sacred promise between the military and his people," adding that "the mission is not completed" and "more difficult and painful moments" are expected. There was also an expectation that Hamas was aware of more kidnapped individuals than those released.
