France Backs Gaza Rebuild Plan, Says Hamas Must Be Excluded

France has praised an Arab plan to rebuild the Gaza Strip under the future leadership of the Palestinian Authority, and said Hamas should be “completely” barred from running the territory permanently. The French government emphasized that any long-term solution must focus on stability and security for both Palestinians and Israelis.

The proposal from Arab leaders “provides a serious and credible foundation to address reconstruction, governance, and security concerns after the devastating Gaza conflict,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Christophe Lemoine said.

But “the plan must fully exclude Hamas from ruling Gaza, where it must be disarmed entirely and offer Israel solid security assurances,” he said.

Arab leaders on Tuesday unanimously backed a plan that would fund Gaza’s rebuilding through a trust fund, while firmly rejecting a separate proposal by the US president to remove Palestinians and construct the so-called “Riviera of the Middle East.