Paris summit on Gaza’s future held alongside Sharm El-Sheikh talks

A summit is being held today, Thursday, in Paris, with representatives from a number of Arab and Western countries, centered on the “day after” the war on the Gaza Strip.

The summit is taking place alongside talks that have been ongoing for days in Sharm El-Sheikh on President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza.

According to Reuters, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio may also attend the meetings, but his participation depends on progress in the negotiations in Egypt.

The meeting is being held concurrently with talks between Israel and Hamas in Egypt, and aims to discuss how to implement the plan and assess the two states’ collective commitment to the Trump-led process.

According to memos sent to delegations, the meeting will follow up on the “two-state solution” conference held at the United Nations last month, and aims to agree on joint measures to contribute to the U.S. plan for Gaza.

Countries participating in today’s Paris meeting include: France, Britain, Germany, Italy, Spain, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Turkey, and Canada. While it remains unclear whether Rubio will definitely take part, a European diplomat said that U.S. presence at the summit is “necessary.”

An Italian diplomat stressed the importance of supporting Trump’s plan, which he called “the only option.” A French diplomatic source added: “The United States and Israel have been briefed on the plans for the Paris meeting, and its agenda will include humanitarian aid to Gaza and the reconstruction of the Strip, the disarmament of Hamas, and support for the Palestinian Authority and Palestinian security forces.”