Rubio presses Cairo for cooperation on Trump’s plan to move Gazans elsewhere

Amid deep disagreement over US President Donald Trump’s proposal to clear Gaza of its Palestinian residents and redevelop the Strip as a US possession, Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterates to his Egyptian counterpart in their Washington meeting “the importance of close cooperation to advance post-conflict planning for the governance and security of Gaza,” according to State Department Spokeswoman Tammy Bruce.

Egypt’s foreign ministry earlier said Abdelatty told Rubio that Arab countries reject Trump’s plan, in line with the official Palestinian position.

Rubio stresses to Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty that “Hamas can never govern Gaza or threaten Israel again,” says Bruce.

According to the US readout, both diplomats affirm the importance of the bilateral relationship, which “includes promoting regional peace, security, and stability.”

Rubio also thanks Abdelatty for Egypt’s mediation of the hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas, for delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza, and for accepting medical evacuations.

On Syria, the two discuss “the need for inclusive governance and the need to prevent the country from being used as a base for terrorism or from posing a threat to its neighbors.”