Rubio says ongoing Gaza peace negotiations are 'not yet' the end of the war

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that ongoing negotiations between Hamas and Israel are not yet the end of the war

WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that ongoing negotiations between Hamas and Israel are not yet the end of the war and that setting up a group to govern Gaza would take “some time,” but emphasized that there was a plan to do so.

It comes as Israel and Hamas appear to be inching closer to implementing a 20-point peace plan proposed by President Donald Trump.

Asked by moderator Kristen Welker whether the peace negotiations mark the end of the war in Gaza, Rubio said, “Not yet.”

“There’s some work that remains to be done,” he said, pointing to ongoing meetings to determine the logistics of implementing a 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 said, echoing the language of the proposed peace plan.