PARIS – U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to join a high-level ministerial meeting in Paris on Thursday alongside European, Arab, and other international representatives to discuss Gaza’s post-war transition, diplomatic sources confirmed on Wednesday. The meeting will run parallel to indirect negotiations in Egypt between Israel and Hamas centered on U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed plan for Gaza. According to a note circulated among delegates, the Paris discussions aim to coordinate how the plan could be implemented and to evaluate participating nations’ commitments to the transition framework.
Following a recent United Nations conference focusing on a two-state solution, the Paris gathering will seek consensus on next steps toward realizing an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. The meeting will feature representatives from France, Britain, Germany, Italy, Spain, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Turkey, and Canada. While Washington’s participation was initially said to depend on the progress of the Cairo talks, sources indicated that U.S. attendance remains central to the discussions. “It’s vital that the United States is present,” one European diplomat noted, emphasizing the need for cohesive international backing. An Italian diplomat described Trump’s plan as “the only one possible,” underscoring Italy’s intent to support it.
French officials confirmed that both the U.S. and Israel had been informed of the agenda, which will include Gaza’s humanitarian relief and reconstruction, the demilitarization of Hamas, and support for the Palestinian Authority’s governance and security forces.The U.S. Embassy in Paris had no immediate comment on Secretary Rubio’s scheduled attendance.