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RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan had separate meetings on Monday with US President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, as world leaders gathered in Sharm El-Sheikh for a Gaza peace summit.

The assembled leaders discussed a 20-point US-led plan that aims to resolve the conflict and ensure the current, limited truce leads to permanent peace, and signed a declaration designed to help shore up the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

It came as Hamas handed over the remaining 20 living hostages taken during the attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and Israeli authorities released 1,968 Palestinians they were holding.

The US plan holds out hope that an independent Palestinian state might eventually be established following a lengthy transitional phase and reform of the Palestinian Authority. Earlier on Monday, Trump addressed the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. Israel’s government has backed the US peace proposal, but has repeatedly opposed any suggestion of Palestinian independence.

Prince Faisal was attending the summit on behalf of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

JEDDAH: The Ministry of Tourism has inaugurated new offices in the Makkah and Madinah regions as part of its initiative to improve the efficiency of tourism services, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

Ministry spokesperson Mohammed Al-Rasasimah said that the offices would oversee inspections, ensure regulatory compliance, support investors, enhance service quality, coordinate with government entities and provide a more integrated approach to managing tourism services for pilgrims and visitors.

A recent report indicated that tourism is a major economic sector in Madinah, employing 11 percent of the region’s workforce in the first quarter of 2025.

The Madinah Chamber of Commerce’s sectoral report also highlighted strong performance in hospitality, with the highest hotel occupancy rate in the Kingdom during the last quarter of 2024. Serviced apartments recorded an occupancy rate of 48.7 percent, the SPA reported.

Madinah ranks second after Makkah in average length of stay, with visitors spending about four nights. These trends align with Vision 2030’s aim to develop tourism and hospitality as sustainable economic sectors that create diverse job opportunities.