Britain's former PM Blair eyes key role in Gaza under Trump peace plan, says report

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair seeks a senior role in running postwar Gaza under a peace plan being developed by the Trump administration, the Financial Times said on Thursday, citing people briefed on the proposal.

Reuters could not immediately verify the report.

Blair had been proposed to chair a supevisory board called the "Gaza International Transitional Authority," the paper added.

Blair was part of a late August meeting Trump presided over to tackle Israel's war in Gaza and post-war plans for the Palestinian territory.

In July, the paper said the Tony Blair Institute participated in a project to develop a post-war Gaza plan.

The think-tank had said none of its talks with different groups on post-war reconstruction of Gaza had included the idea of forcible relocation of people from the area.

On the other hand, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said he reached an understanding with US President Donald Trump on how to achieve a ceasefire and lasting peace in Gaza and Palestine after talks at the White House on Thursday.

"Our meeting was very important in terms of putting forth the will to end the massacres in Gaza. Mr Trump stated during the meeting the need to end fighting in Gaza and reach lasting peace," Erdogan was cited as telling reporters according to a transcript shared by his office on Friday.

"We explained how a ceasefire can be achieved in Gaza and the whole of Palestine, and lasting peace afterwards. An understanding was reached there," he added. "We said that the two-state solution was the formula for lasting peace in the region, that the current situation cannot continue."

Erdogan also said the participation of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in the United Nations General Assembly was very important for the global legitimacy of the new Syrian government.

Reuters