Rubio: Israel-Hamas conflict "not yet" over despite partial peace deal

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the armed conflict between Israel and the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip is not yet over, despite both sides agreeing to certain points of U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace plan.

“Everyone has agreed, including Israel, that eventually, at some point here as this process plays out, Gaza will be governed by a Palestinian technocratic group that’s not Hamas, that are not terrorists, with the help and the assistance and the guidance of an international consortium like the board of peace,” Rubio told NBC News, echoing the language of the proposed peace plan, Caliber.Az reports.

The peace plan stipulates that Gaza would “be governed under the temporary transitional governance of a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee.” The plan also provides that Hamas, which currently governs Gaza, would not have any role in governing in the future.

According to Rubio, additional work is needed to achieve a full cessation of hostilities. He emphasised that Hamas’s seriousness will become clear during the upcoming technical negotiations, particularly regarding logistics.

The Secretary of State did not specify a timeline for the release of hostages but expressed hope that it would happen as soon as possible.

By Khagan Isayev