Netanyahu Declines Gaza Summit Invitation in Egypt Due to Jewish Holiday Simhat Torah

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declined an invitation to participate in Monday's Gaza summit being held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, citing the coincidence with a Jewish religious holiday. According to an official statement from his office, Netanyahu expressed gratitude to US President Donald Trump for extending the invitation but explained his inability to attend due to the timing.

The statement clarified, "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" of Simhat Torah, which commences Monday evening and continues until Tuesday sunset.

Previously, the Egyptian presidency had announced that Netanyahu had received an invitation to attend the summit following a telephone conversation involving US President Donald Trump, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, and the Israeli prime minister.