PARIS(National times)- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and top international diplomats are gathering in Paris to coordinate international backing for Washington\u2019s plan on Gaza, as parallel ceasefire talks continue in Egypt. Rubio is due in Paris for a ministerial meeting bringing together European, Arab and other international partners to discuss Gaza\u2019s post-war future \u2013 a diplomatic drive running in parallel to ongoing negotiations in Egypt. The Paris meeting reportedly aims to coordinate international efforts around US President Donald Trump\u2019s plan for Gaza, which sets out a framework for the enclave\u2019s reconstruction and governance once fighting ends. The session is also expected to build on the recent United Nations conference advocating a two-state solution \u2013 the long-sought vision of an independent Palestinian state living peacefully alongside Israel. Countries attending include the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Turkey and Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
RALLYING SUPPORT<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Rubio\u2019s arrival in Paris signals Washington is taking a more hands-on approach towards shaping Gaza\u2019s post-war transition, after weeks of uncertainty over whether the US would attend the French-hosted negotiations. A note reportedly circulated to delegates said the meeting would seek to agree \u201cjoint actions\u201d to support the US initiative, from humanitarian aid and reconstruction to strengthening the Palestinian Authority and security forces. A French diplomatic source told the Reuters news agency that both Washington and Israel had been kept informed of the plans and that Thursday\u2019s discussions would also touch on the issue of Hamas\u2019 disarmament \u2013 a sticking point in the parallel talks taking place in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. The source added that France wanted to ensure the meeting produced \u201ctangible commitments\u201d to Gaza\u2019s rebuilding and political stability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n MOOD ‘OPTIMISTIC’ AT EGYPT TALKS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Paris gathering comes at a delicate moment, as negotiators in Egypt have reportedly been making cautious progress in indirect talks between Israel and Hamas. On Wednesday, Hamas handed over lists of hostages and Palestinian prisoners to be exchanged, describing the mood as \u201coptimistic\u201d \u2013 the most upbeat assessment yet since negotiations began earlier in the week. This comes as US President Donald Trump has dispatched his envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner to join the Sharm el-Sheikh talks. Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani are also participating, along with Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin \u2013 an indication of Turkey\u2019s growing mediation role after Trump personally asked President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to help persuade Hamas to back the deal. Despite the hint of optimism, significant hurdles remain as Israel insists Hamas must disarm before any political transition, while Hamas refuses to relinquish weapons until a Palestinian state is established. The group continues to demand a permanent ceasefire, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and a reconstruction plan led by a Palestinian \u201cnational technocratic body\u201d. Rubio\u2019s participation at the Paris talks takes place as negotiators in Egypt grapple with those same core disputes, while seeking a path toward implementing Trump\u2019s Gaza plan.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" PARIS(National times)- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and top international diplomats are gathering in Paris to coordinate international backing for Washington\u2019s plan on Gaza, as parallel ceasefire talks continue in Egypt. Rubio is due in Paris for a ministerial meeting bringing together European, Arab and other international partners to discuss Gaza\u2019s post-war future \u2013 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":113593,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-113592","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-international","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n