US's Blinken rallies Mideast leaders to prepare for Gaza's post-war future

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday that four key Arab nations and Turkey have agreed to begin planning for the reconstruction and governance of Gaza once Israel's war ends.

Blinken, who is on an urgent Middle East mission aimed primarily at preventing the conflict from spreading as fears rise of a regional war, said Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, the UAE, and Turkey would consider participating in and contributing to "day after" scenarios for the Palestinian enclave, which has been devastated by three months of deadly Israeli bombardment.

Those countries had previously resisted US calls for post-war planning to begin, insisting that there must first be a ceasefire and a sharp reduction in the civilian suffering caused by Israel's military campaign.

But on what is now his fourth trip to the Middle East since the war began in October, Blinken said those countries are ready to start such planning and that each would consider its own involvement in whatever is eventually decided upon.

"Everywhere I went, I found leaders who are determined to prevent the conflict that we’re facing now from spreading, doing everything possible to deter escalation to prevent a widening of the conflict," Blinken told reporters travelling with him.

Blinken made the comments after meeting Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the Saudi royal's winter camp outside the ancient incense-route trading city of al-Ula in western Saudi Arabia. Blinken had earlier visited Turkey, Greece, Jordan, Qatar, and the UAE.

The leaders of those countries "agreed to work together and to coordinate our efforts to help Gaza stabilise and recover, to chart a political path forward for the Palestinians and to work toward long-term peace, security and stability in the region as a whole", Blinken said.

He said they "are prepared to make the necessary commitments to make the hard decisions to advance all of these objectives to advance this vision for the region".

Blinken did not offer specifics on potential contributions. Financial and in-kind support from the UAE and Saudi Arabia could be essential to the success of any plan.