Marco Rubio reaffirmed the leadership of the United States in the peace plan for Gaza.

The United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has reaffirmed Washington's central role in implementing the peace plan promoted by President Donald Trump for Gaza. During a press conference at the ceasefire coordination center between the United States and Israel, Rubio stated that the common goal is to make the agreement work, emphasizing that "there is no Plan B" and that this is "the best and only possible plan." Rubio explained that the U.S. priority is to consolidate the ceasefire and ensure the demilitarization of Hamas as a key condition for the next phase of the agreement. "If Hamas refuses to demilitarize, it will be violating the agreement and that violation must be sanctioned. I won't go into specific mechanisms, but it will have to be enforced," he said. He added that Israel has fulfilled its commitments and that the continuation of the process depends on Hamas's compliance.

The head of U.S. diplomacy emphasized that the demilitarization of Gaza will be a long-term project and that Washington seeks to "create conditions so that the population of Gaza is no longer terrorized by Hamas, but can have a dignified life, with employment, stability, and a future." Rubio insisted that the agreement also includes a civil and economic component that will allow the enclave to be rebuilt under international supervision. Regarding reports circulated by the terrorist group Hamas about its alleged participation in the committee preparing Gaza's future government, Rubio was blunt: "Hamas can't govern or be part of the future government of Gaza. All countries supporting this plan agree on that." Among them are Egypt, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, which, together with the United States, seek to ensure that Gaza is free from the control of the Islamist group. One of the pillars of Trump's plan is the creation of an International Stabilization Force (ISF) to maintain security and support the political transition. Rubio confirmed that many countries have offered to participate in it, but noted that "Israel must feel comfortable with the countries that make it up."

Although he did not give names, his words were interpreted as an allusion to Türkiye, whose role in the process is controversial and which, according to Israeli media, would have been vetoed by the government of Benjamin Netanyahu. Rubio highlighted the progress of the ceasefire, which has lasted two weeks, and described it as "historic," although warning that the process "will not be easy" and there will be "ups and downs and unexpected turns." He reiterated that the goal is to prevent tragedies like that of October 7, 2023, from happening again, when the Hamas attack left more than 1,200 dead in Israel and hundreds of hostages, and triggered the massive Israeli military offensive.

Rubio's visit to Israel concludes an intense week of U.S. diplomacy in the region, in which Vice President JD Vance also participated. Both trips reflect Washington's determination to ensure the success of the peace plan and to prevent unilateral decisions by the Israeli government that could jeopardize it. In local media, the White House strategy was described as a "Bibi-sitting" operation, referring to Prime Minister Netanyahu's nickname, suggesting that the United States is exercising close supervision over the actions of its ally. Rubio and Vance sought to maintain an optimistic tone. Both expressed confidence that the ceasefire will hold and that the formation of the ISF and the demilitarization of Hamas will move forward with regional support. "We will see obstacles, but we must make this work," Rubio concluded.