US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday, during talks with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, that any deal on the future of war-torn Gaza must boost regional security, the US State Department said.
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Rubio, who arrived from Israel accompanied by National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, met the de facto ruler ahead of talks expected on Tuesday with a Russian delegation in the Saudi capital Riyadh.
But the 500-day-old Israel-Gaza war dominated discussions, according to a State Department statement.
Rubio and the crown prince “reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the ceasefire in Gaza and ensuring that Hamas releases all hostages, including American citizens”, the statement said.
“The secretary underscored the importance of an arrangement for Gaza that contributes to regional security,” it added.
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The two “discussed ways to advance shared interests in Syria, Lebanon, and across the region, to include Red Sea security and freedom of navigation”, said the statement, which made no reference to US President Donald Trump’s widely criticised plan for the United States to take over Gaza and move away the Palestinian population.
A Saudi statement said only that Rubio and the crown prince “discussed regional and international developments” and “efforts to assure security and stability in the region”.