US: Rubio concerned over Gaza peace deal logistics

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has seemingly expressed doubts that US President Donald Trump’s peace proposal will immediately end Israel’s war on Gaza, the Middle East Eye via Reuters reported on October 5th.

Speaking on October 5th, Rubio claimed that Hamas had “basically” agreed to Trump’s proposal and framework to free Israeli hostages; he confirmed that talks are underway to discuss the logistics of the plan.

“They [Hamas] have also agreed, in principle and generalities, to enter into this idea about what’s going to happen afterwards,” he added. “A lot of details are going to have to be worked out there.”

Hamas has repeatedly affirmed its willingness to return the remaining Israeli hostages, while Israel has demanded that Hamas be completely disarmed and lose all governing and military capabilities.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is believed to have blocked ceasefire deals with Gaza on seven different occasions throughout his country’s war on Gaza.

Rubio explained how Trump’s peace proposal would pan out: “Priority number one, the one that we think we can achieve something very quickly on, hopefully, is the release of all the hostages in exchange for Israel moving back [to the yellow line],” he said, in reference to a line drawn in Trump’s proposal to which Israel will withdraw. However, he believed phase two of the plan would be “even harder”.

“What happens after Israel pulls back to the yellow line, and potentially beyond that, as this thing develops? How do you create this Palestinian technocratic leadership that’s not Hamas?” Rubio asserted. “How do you disarm any sort of terrorist groups that are going to be building tunnels and conducting attacks against Israel? How do you get them to demobilise?”

He said: “All that work, that’s going to be hard, but that’s critical, because without that, you’re not going to have lasting peace.”

Rubio has previously expressed concerns that action by other Western countries to recognise a Palestinian state would make “Hamas feel more emboldened.”

The US Secretary of State has also condemned Hamas as “barbaric animals,” while reaffirming his country’s “unwavering support” for Israel.

He said: “The people of Gaza deserve a better future, but that better future cannot begin until Hamas is eliminated.”

The UN General Assembly voted on September 12th for an independent Palestinian state which is not be governed by Hamas.

Israeli Defence Minister Israeli Katz issued an ultimatum on September 8th, writing on X  that “this is a final warning to the Hamas murderers and rapists in Gaza and in luxury hotels abroad: Release the hostages and put down your weapons — or Gaza will be destroyed and you will be annihilated.”

This declaration echoed President Trump’s “final warning” to Hamas. Katz continued: “Today, a massive hurricane will hit the skies of Gaza City and the roofs of the terror towers will tremble.”

Middle East Eye via Reuters, Maghrebi.org