US President Donald Trump held a policy meeting on Wednesday to discuss Israel’s ongoing conflict in Gaza and the future of the Palestinian territory, with contributions from former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Jared Kushner, the former White House envoy to the Middle East.
No Palestinian official was present at the meeting, which was held at the White House. It came after the Israeli military warned Palestinians that evacuation was “inevitable” in Gaza City, as Israeli forces prepare to conquer it.
A senior White House official confirmed the meeting, which focused on issues such as the ongoing hostage situation, expanding food aid deliveries, and plans for Gaza’s post-war.
The official described the meeting as a routine policy discussion, a type commonly held by Trump and his administration. Kushner, married to Trump’s daughter Ivanka, played a significant role in Middle East policy during Trump’s first term, while Blair, who was prime minister during the 2003 Iraq War, has faced global criticism over his role in the conflict.
Trump had initially pledged a swift resolution to the Gaza conflict during his presidential campaign, but despite seven months into his second term, a lasting solution remains elusive.
Trump’s presidency began with a ceasefire that lasted two months, but Israeli airstrikes on March 18, which killed at least 400 Palestinians, reignited the violence.
In February, Trump suggested a controversial plan for the US to take control of Gaza and permanently relocate its Palestinian population. The proposal was condemned internationally, with many calling it “ethnic cleansing”. Forcible displacement is a violation of international law.
Trump characterised the proposal, which he has not publicly revisited in recent weeks, as a plan to transform Gaza into the “Riviera of the Middle East.”
Kushner, a year prior, floated the idea to remove Palestinians from Gaza and develop the area into a luxury waterfront destination. The Tony Blair Institute, which had been involved in projects on post-war Gaza reconstruction, was reported by the Financial Times in July to have stated that no plans for forced displacement had been included in their discussions.
In a separate development, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar in Washington to discuss Gaza and other regional matters. When asked about the prospect of a Palestinian state after the meeting concluded, Saar made it clear that Israel had no intention of supporting one. In recent weeks, some of US’s allies have expressed support for recognising a Palestinian state.
Israel’s military offensive since October 2023 has killed approximately 62,900 Palestinians in Gaza, with the offensive causing a famine—as declared by the UN— and displaced the entire population, and led to international calls for genocide and war crimes investigations, accusations that Israel rejects.