US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that the war in Gaza has not yet concluded, despite both Israel and Hamas agreeing in principle to aspects of Donald Trump’s peace plan. Speaking on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, Rubio said technical talks would reveal quickly whether Hamas is serious about releasing hostages.
Rubio’s comments came as Trump warned Hamas faces “complete obliteration” if it refuses to relinquish power. Negotiators from Israel and Hamas are set to meet in Cairo on Monday, though mediators from the US, Egypt and Qatar face hurdles including prisoner exchange logistics and the disarming of Hamas.
Rubio described the current phase as the closest yet to securing the release of all hostages, but cautioned that “a lot of pitfalls along the way” remain. Under the US plan, Hamas would release 48 hostages – around 20 believed alive – within three days in exchange for an Israeli halt to operations, withdrawal from much of Gaza, release of Palestinian prisoners, and a surge in humanitarian aid.
A Palestinian source told AFP that Hamas is keen to reach an agreement but warned that “the occupation must not obstruct the implementation of President Trump’s plan”. Rubio noted that a second phase would involve tougher discussions on Gaza’s future governance, with a proposed Palestinian technocratic body supported by an international consortium.
