Washington, August 28, 2025 – The Europe Today: U.S. President Donald Trump convened a high-level policy meeting at the White House on Wednesday to discuss Israel’s war in Gaza and post-war planning for the Palestinian territory, a senior administration official said.
The session included former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Trump’s son-in-law and former Middle East envoy Jared Kushner, alongside senior White House officials. According to the official, discussions covered the ongoing hostage crisis, efforts to expand humanitarian food aid, and long-term reconstruction and governance scenarios for Gaza.
The official described the gathering as “simply a policy meeting,” noting that Trump frequently hosts such consultations with his advisers.
Kushner, who played a central role in Trump’s Middle East policy during his first term, was joined by Blair, who has faced international criticism for his role in the 2003 Iraq war. Their participation highlights the administration’s effort to draw on experienced voices as the war stretches into its eleventh month.
Unresolved conflict and controversial proposals
Trump campaigned on promises to swiftly end the Gaza conflict, but a resolution has proved elusive seven months into his second term. A ceasefire brokered in January collapsed after Israeli strikes on March 18 killed around 400 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials.
Images of starving Palestinian families, particularly children, have intensified international outrage over conditions in Gaza and increased criticism of U.S. support for Israel.
Earlier this year, Trump floated a controversial proposal for a U.S. takeover of Gaza and the permanent displacement of its Palestinian population, framing it as a redevelopment initiative to transform the coastal enclave into the “Riviera of the Middle East.” The plan was condemned worldwide, with the United Nations and rights groups labeling it as ethnic cleansing and noting that forcible displacement violates international law. Trump has not publicly repeated the idea in recent weeks, though it echoed proposals earlier raised by Kushner.
Meanwhile, the Financial Times reported in July that the Tony Blair Institute had contributed to discussions on Gaza’s post-war future, though the think tank said it never considered or endorsed population displacement.
Regional diplomacy
Separately, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar in Washington on Wednesday to discuss Gaza and broader regional issues. Asked afterward about the prospect of a Palestinian state, Saar said Israel had no such plan.
This stance contrasts with moves by some U.S. allies in recent weeks to advance recognition of Palestinian statehood.
Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, launched after Hamas’ October 2023 attack that killed 1,200 people and resulted in about 250 hostages, has since killed more than 62,000 Palestinians, according to health authorities in the enclave. The offensive has displaced the entire population, created a severe hunger crisis, and led to accusations of genocide and war crimes at international courts — allegations Israel rejects.
