Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declined an invitation to attend the Gaza Summit taking place on Monday in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh, citing observance of a Jewish holiday.
According to a statement from the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, Netanyahu was invited by US President Donald Trump to attend the high-level meeting, which will be hosted by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu was invited by US President Donald Trump to attend a conference in Egypt today. The prime minister thanked President Trump for the invitation but said he would be unable to attend due to the timing coinciding with the start of the holiday,” the statement read.
The holiday in question, Simhat Torah, begins on Monday evening and runs until sunset Tuesday. It is one of the most joyous celebrations in the Jewish calendar, marking the conclusion of the annual Torah reading cycle.
Earlier, Egypt’s presidency confirmed that Netanyahu had been invited to join the talks, following a three-way phone call between Trump, Sisi, and the Israeli leader.
The summit — taking place amid renewed diplomatic efforts to consolidate peace in the region following the recent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas — is expected to bring together key regional and international figures to discuss post-conflict reconstruction and long-term stability in Gaza.
Netanyahu’s absence will be seen as a symbolic setback to direct participation by Israel at the opening session, though diplomatic channels are expected to remain active through senior representatives.
