President Trump arrived in Cairo on the eve of a summit convened by Egypt to assemble regional powers, Western allies and Israeli representatives to map out Gaza’s future after months of intense conflict. Egyptian officials billed the meeting as an effort to reconcile competing priorities — reconstruction financing, civilian governance in Gaza, and security arrangements intended to prevent a resurgence of large-scale violence — but diplomats and analysts warn that major policy and institutional obstacles remain.

The president’s stop in Egypt follows a politically charged visit to Israel, where his address to the Knesset was briefly interrupted by demonstrators and elicited strong reactions from Israeli lawmakers. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the Knesset in a separate appearance during the same visit, emphasizing national security imperatives even as Israel and international partners weigh pressure to accommodate humanitarian needs and reconstruction plans inside Gaza. The trip also included a private meeting between Mr. Trump and families of hostages recently freed by Hamas, an encounter that heightened the emotional stakes of the diplomatic push.

The release of a group of Israeli hostages in recent days has altered the negotiating dynamics. Israeli officials framed the releases as partial vindication of sustained pressure on Hamas, while Palestinian and Arab delegations stressed that long-term stability in Gaza requires credible pathways for governance, reconstruction funding, and the restoration of civil services. Egypt, hosting the summit in Cairo, has sought to position itself as mediator and custodian of a process that would involve substantial international reconstruction assistance conditioned on security guarantees.

Policy questions loom large. Who will control border crossings and security on the ground in Gaza? What legal and administrative frameworks will govern international aid flows? What mechanisms will ensure oversight and accountability of reconstruction funds? Congressional leaders in Washington have signaled they will scrutinize any U.S. commitments, and lawmakers from across the political spectrum say they expect detailed reporting and conditions tied to human rights and anti-corruption safeguards.

Domestically, Mr. Trump’s diplomacy carries political risk and reward. The president’s visible role as broker may bolster credentials among voters who prioritize U.S. leadership abroad, but the summit also exposes him to criticism from constituencies skeptical of deals perceived to compromise security or to insufficiently defend human rights. Protesters who disrupted the Knesset appearance underscored how civic engagement and street pressure will continue to shape political calculus on both sides.

Institutionally, the summit tests the capacity of multilateral mechanisms and regional actors to produce enforceable outcomes. Analysts caution that without a transparent timetable, verified security guarantees and independent auditing of reconstruction funds, any agreement risks collapsing under the weight of competing domestic politics and militant spoilers. For Gaza’s civilians and for democratic accountability in participating countries, the stakes are tangible: reconstruction and governance decisions made now will determine daily life and political trajectories for years to come.