WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned Sunday on NBC Information’ “Meet the Press” that ongoing negotiations between Hamas and Israel will not be but the tip of the battle and that establishing a gaggle to control Gaza would take “a while,” however emphasised that there was a plan to take action.
It comes as Israel and Hamas seem like inching nearer to implementing a 20-point peace plan proposed by President Donald Trump.
“Everybody has agreed, together with Israel, that finally, sooner or later right here as this course of performs out, Gaza can be ruled by a Palestinian technocratic group that’s not Hamas, that aren’t terrorists, with the assistance and the help and the steerage of a world consortium just like the board of peace,” Rubio mentioned, echoing the language of the proposed peace plan.
On the identical time, Rubio mentioned, “You may’t arrange a governance construction in Gaza that’s not Hamas in three days.”
“I imply, it takes a while,” he mentioned.
The peace plan stipulates that Gaza would “be ruled beneath the short-term transitional governance of a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee.” The plan additionally supplies that Hamas, which presently governs Gaza, wouldn’t have any position in governing sooner or later.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly backed the peace plan, which incorporates the discharge of all Israeli hostages by Hamas, throughout a go to to the White Home final week.
Hamas has expressed a willingness to launch all hostages, alive or lifeless, and plans to ship a crew on Sunday to Cairo, the place extra in-depth negotiations are slated to start on Monday. Trump administration particular envoy Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner plan to attend on behalf of the U.S.
Requested by moderator Kristen Welker whether or not the peace negotiations mark the tip of the battle in Gaza, Rubio mentioned “not but.”
“There’s some work that is still to be completed,” he mentioned, pointing to ongoing conferences to find out the logistics of implementing a peace plan.
The events now want to find out, first, how hostages are launched, and, second, how you can create new Palestinian management.
“How do you create this Palestinian technocratic management that’s not Hamas, that’s not terrorists, and with the assistance of the worldwide neighborhood?” Rubio mentioned, laying out ongoing points. “How do you disarm any form of terrorist teams which might be going to be constructing tunnels and conducting assaults in opposition to Israel?”
There are ongoing talks to find out logistically how hostages could possibly be launched, he mentioned.
“You must ensure the Pink Cross can get there, what time they’re going to be there, the place they’re going to be,” Rubio mentioned. “All that must be labored by.”
Requested whether or not hostages could possibly be launched as early as this week, Rubio mentioned, “We would like it to be as quickly as attainable.”
Trump has mentioned that Israel agreed to withdraw to an preliminary line reducing by Gaza to ensure that the hostage deal to maneuver ahead. The preliminary withdrawal line, marked by a yellow line in a graphic posted by Trump, would withdraw the Israeli navy to the outskirts of a number of main cities.
Earlier than Israel withdraws additional, Rubio famous that the events needed to decide who would take management of the territory.
“Once we ask Israel, ‘OK, you’re on the yellow line, now all the pieces behind it you need to flip it over,’ You must have someone to show it over to,” Rubio mentioned. “So, I imply, let’s be real looking right here. You may’t simply arrange a form of new governance construction inside Gaza in 72 hours.”
