Saudi-Egypt-Jordan security officials hold 'secret' meeting in Riyadh on post-war Gaza: report

A confidential meeting between Arab security officials was recently held in Riyadh to discuss possible post-war Gaza scenarios, Axios reported on Monday.

Security chiefs from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, and representatives from the Palestinian Authority focused on coordinating plans for Gaza when Israel ends its war on Gaza - which has killed more than 26,000 people - and discussed ways to involve Ramallah in the process.

Saudi National Security Advisor Musaed bin Mohammed Al-Aiban hosted his Egyptian and Jordanian counterparts who stressed to the Director of Palestinian General Intelligence, Majed Faraj, the need for the Palestinian Authority to implement serious reforms to reclaim its political leadership, according to the report.

A proposal to form a new Palestinian government was discussed with the prime minister taking on some of the powers currently held by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The Saudi National Security Advisor reportedly also indicated that Riyadh could still normalise relations with Israel if concrete steps toward the creation of an independent Palestinian state were made.

The four countries involved in the talks have not commented on the meeting.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has consistently refused to cede security control over Gaza and again opposed the establishment of a Palestinian state.

The UAE, Morocco, Bahrain and Sudan normalised relations with Israel in 2020, as part of the Abraham Accords.

Jordan and Egypt had already signed peace agreements with Israel and exchanged ambassadors, although normalisation remains deeply unpopular with citizens in both countries.

Israel's war on Gaza has killed at least 26,422 people and wounded 65,086 others since 7 October, the vast majority civilians, flattening entire neighbourhoods and civilian infrastructure.