US Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared in Jerusalem on Thursday that the US administration maintains a “confident” and “positive” stance regarding the progress of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, although he warned of the existence of “significant obstacles” to its consolidation.
Rubio made these statements at the end of his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the context of an intense diplomatic agenda focused on the stability of the region, one of the main objectives of US President Donald Trump.
Rubio called the progress made in the negotiations over the past week"incredible," though he emphasized that "there is more work to be done and achievements yet to be made."
The US diplomat is part of a high-level delegation that has visited Israel in recent days to assess the implementation of the ceasefire and coordinate actions with Israeli authorities. Among them are US Vice President JD Vance, Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner, President Trump's advisor and son-in-law.
During the meeting, Netanyahu welcomed Rubio's visit and highlighted the security challenges facing Israel."We are facing days of destiny. We want to move forward in peace. We continue to face security challenges, but I believe we can work together to address the challenges and seize the opportunities," the Israeli prime minister told reporters alongside Rubio.
In parallel with the diplomatic gestures, tensions remain high on the ground. The Hamas government in Gaza has denounced"dozens of violations" of the agreement by Israeli forces, pointing to shootings against Palestinians who crossed into army-controlled areas, in which at least 40 people were killed. Furthermore, following a skirmish on Sunday between Israeli troops and suspected Islamist fighters in southern Gaza, the Israeli army launched airstrikes that, according to the enclave's Health Ministry, caused the deaths of at least 45 Palestinians.
On the other hand, Hamas still holds the bodies of 13 hostages, a condition that Israeli authorities consider key to the continuity of the agreement."We feel confident and positive about the progress made. We are clear-eyed about the challenges," Rubio reiterated alongside Netanyahu as they reviewed the outlook.
Meanwhile, President Trump issued a warning to Israel on Thursday over legislative efforts to annex the Palestinian territory in the West Bank. In a telephone interview with Time on October 15 and published Thursday, Trump stressed, “That’s not going to happen because I gave my word to the Arab countries. Israel would lose all support from the United States if that were to happen.” The statement came after the Israeli parliament advanced two bills paving the way for annexation, drawing condemnation from more than a dozen Arab and Muslim states, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Turkey, in a joint statement carried by state media in the region.
Vice President Vance sharply criticized the Knesset vote, saying, “If it was a political maneuver, it was very stupid, and I personally find it insulting. The West Bank will not be annexed by Israel. That is the policy of the Trump administration, and it will continue to be the policy.”
Before arriving in Israel, Rubio had warned that the annexation moves jeopardized the fragile truce in Gaza, describing them as “threatening the peace agreement.”
The West Bank, occupied by Israel since 1967, continues to be a scene of recurring violence. Since October 7, 2023, Palestinian Health Ministry figures have reported nearly 1,000 Palestinians killed, including militants and civilians, by Israeli soldiers and settlers, compared to at least 43 Israelis killed in Palestinian attacks or military operations.
On the humanitarian front, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Thursday that the situation in Gaza remains critical despite the ceasefire, due to insufficient aid and worsening hunger. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the organization, stressed that"there is no significant relief from food insecurity because what is coming in is not enough."
