Egypt awards Trump the Order of the Nile for Gaza 'peace efforts'

Egypt has awarded US President Donald Trump with its highest state honour for his role in brokering a truce between Hamas and Israel, a presidential spokesperson said on Monday.

The Order of the Nile is expected to be presented to the US president during Monday's peace summit in Sharm el-Sheikh.

Trump and Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi will co-host the gathering in the Red Sea resort town, where more than 20 countries will discuss how to move forward to a sustainable long-term peace between Palestinians and Israelis following last week's ceasefire in Gaza.

The Order of the Nile is a solid gold collar featuring pharaonic engravings, representing prosperity brought by the Nile, wealth and endurance, and protection from evil.

Introduced more than 100 years ago, it is the country's most prestigious award and has been given to only a handful of foreign heads of state.

Among them, Queen Elizabeth II, King Hussein of Jordan, Nelson Mandela, and, most recently, King Felipe VI of Spain.

Trump will be the second US president in history to be given the order after Jimmy Carter in 1979 for his role in negotiating peace with Israel.

Nobel laureates Ahmed Zewail, Mohamed ElBaradei, Naguib Mahfouz, and late president Anwar Sadat are among the Egyptians to have received the award.

The decision comes in recognition of Trump's efforts to broker a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel and his administration's peace plan for the region.