BERLIN

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Monday praised the role of Türkiye, Qatar, and Egypt in securing the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved who made this day and this conference possible. First and foremost, I thank Egyptian President al-Sisi for inviting us to come to Sharm el-Sheikh today,” said Merz in a press statement.

“I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to US President Donald Trump for his initiative, his commitment, and his clear stance on this conflict. The Emir of Qatar, whom I just met for a lengthy discussion, has contributed to this, as has the Turkish government. This is the result of a wide range of efforts,” he added.

The chancellor, who arrived in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh for a summit meeting of world leaders, called the Gaza ceasefire deal “historic.”

“This day, October 13, 2025, is a historic day. It will be an important day in the history books—for this region, but also for the entire world. The war in Gaza is over. This is good news after two years of bloodshed, after October 7, 2023 ... We have succeeded in ending the conflict, at least for today,” Merz said.

“We are here in Sharm el-Sheikh to sign a major document. This will mark the beginning of a phase—or so we all hope—of peace and harmonious coexistence in the region,” he added.

The German leader expressed hope “that from this day on, a process will begin that can enable lasting stability and lasting peace in the region—including lasting coexistence between the Palestinians and the Israeli state.”​​​​​​​

Heads of state and senior officials from several countries arrived in Egypt’s Red Sea city of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday to participate in an international peace summit on Gaza.

According to Egypt’s state-run Al-Qahera News Channel, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi welcomed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas ahead of the summit opening.

Also arriving were French President Emmanuel Macron, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Pakistani Prime Minister Mohammad Shehbaz Sharif, and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan.

Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit also arrived at the summit venue.