CAIRO — Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi renewed his invitation to US President Donald Trump on Thursday to attend the signing of the Gaza ceasefire agreement between Palestinians and Israel, following four days of indirect negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh.

During a meeting at the Ittihadiya Palace with U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and senior adviser Jared Kushner, Sisi “welcomed the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip and the strenuous efforts of President Trump in this regard,” according to a statement from the Egyptian presidency.

Sisi told the U.S. delegation that Egypt looks forward to the signing “as soon as possible,” reaffirming Cairo’s commitment to close coordination with Washington in implementing Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan.

He also stressed the need for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Gaza, even before the formal signing ceremony.

On Wednesday, Sisi had invited Trump to attend the official signing, with the U.S. president saying he may visit the Middle East this weekend.

Sisi also praised Turkey, Qatar, and the United States for supporting Egypt’s mediation role in the Sharm el-Sheikh negotiations, which led to the agreement’s announcement at dawn Thursday.

He pledged that Egypt will continue to work “with sincerity and responsibility” to uphold the ceasefire, facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid, and ensure the release of hostages and detainees.

For their part, Witkoff and Kushner expressed Washington’s appreciation for Egypt’s “pivotal role” in ending the war and promoting regional stability, the statement said.

Sisi concluded the meeting by expressing his “aspiration to receive President Trump in Egypt to witness the signing of this historic agreement in a ceremony befitting the occasion.”

The ceasefire agreement marks the first phase of Trump’s plan, announced on Sept. 29, which calls for a permanent truce, the release of all Israeli captives in exchange for about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

The second phase envisions a new governing structure in Gaza excluding Hamas, the formation of a joint Palestinian-Arab-Islamic security force, and Arab- and Islamic-funded reconstruction with limited Palestinian Authority involvement.

While Arab and Muslim countries have broadly welcomed the plan, officials say further negotiations are needed to finalize key details.

Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed nearly 67,200 Palestinians, most of them women and children, and left Gaza largely uninhabitable, according to local health authorities. — Agencies