Senior leaders of Hamas' political bureau held a highly confidential meeting with a French delegation, according to a Monday report from Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat.
It reported that the meeting took place "recently" in an unspecified country in the Middle East.
Two Palestinian sources spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat, one from Palestinian civil society elements who maintain working relations with France and other European countries, and the other from a Palestinian organization close to Hamas. They described the meeting as "top secret," adding that some Palestinian factions were only informed shortly before or after it was held.
This marks the first reported meeting of Hamas leaders with European officials since the October 7 massacre.
According to the report, the French delegation included current and former diplomats, as well as members of parliament from the ruling coalition and opposition parties.
Focus on Palestinian Internal affairs
A source from Palestinian civil society said the talks were largely focused on Palestinian internal affairs, improving national reconciliation, and advancing a political process aimed at ending the conflict with Israel.
The source also told Asharq Al-Awsat that discussions also touched on supporting establishing a Palestinian state within "the 1967 borders," meaning the pre-Six-Day War armistice lines.
Since October 7, France has been a leading advocate for a two-state solution that would allow for the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside the State of Israel.
Israel-France relations are strained
The reported meeting comes a few weeks after the French National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office (PNAT) announced in Paris that it had opened a preliminary investigation against Israel.
The probe followed allegations by Global Sumud Flotilla activists of "torture and war crimes" against them.
The investigation was initiated following a formal referral submitted to the prosecutor's office by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot. The move was prompted by a video published by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir showing the activists being brought to Ashdod Port.
According to an AFP report cited by French media, the preliminary investigation will be conducted by the Central Office for Combating Crimes against Humanity and Hate Crimes (OCLCH).