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Rubio: Gaza reconstruction must exclude Hamas

The top American diplomat discussed Gaza, Yemen and Syria during a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah.

Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman meets with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the Royal Palace grounds in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on March 10, 2025. Photo by Saul Loeb/POOL/AFP via Getty Images.
Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman meets with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the Royal Palace grounds in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on March 10, 2025. Photo by Saul Loeb/POOL/AFP via Getty Images.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed on Monday that any reconstruction effort in Gaza must exclude the Hamas terrorist group.

He made the remarks during a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah.

Rubio thanked Saudi Arabia for hosting Arab nations for discussions on Gaza’s future, according to a State Department readout.

The two leaders also addressed broader regional security, including threats from Houthi terrorists to global shipping, the situation in Syria, and efforts to end the war in Ukraine.

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