Rubio Says Gaza War ‘Not Over Yet’, Says Details Still To Be Worked Out Amid Trump Peace Plan Talks

The war in Gaza has “not yet ended,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday, even as both Israel and Hamas expressed partial agreement with US President Donald Trump’s proposed 20-point peace plan aimed at halting the nearly two-year-long conflict.

Speaking to NBC News’ Meet the Press, Rubio said the coming days would reveal “very quickly” whether Hamas was serious about its commitments, particularly concerning the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Israel’s military withdrawal. “We will know very quickly whether Hamas is serious or not by how these technical talks go in terms of the logistics,” he said.

Rubio’s remarks come as negotiations are set to begin in Cairo on Monday, involving delegations from Israel, Hamas, the United States, Qatar, and Egypt. Israeli officials confirmed that their delegation would depart for Cairo late Sunday, while Hamas representatives led by exiled Gaza chief Khalil al-Hayya were also expected to arrive.

Hamas Welcomes Trump’s Proposal

Hamas drew a cautiously positive response from Trump on Friday after the militant group said it accepted certain key parts of his peace plan, including ending the war, releasing hostages, and facilitating Israel’s withdrawal. However, the group left critical issues unresolved, including whether it would agree to disarm, a demand Israel has called “non-negotiable.”

According to Hamas spokesman Taher al-Nunu, the group is ready to engage in talks through mediators. “Hamas is ready to immediately begin negotiations to achieve a prisoner exchange, end the war, and ensure the withdrawal of the Israeli army from the Gaza Strip,” al-Nunu told AFP.

Focus On Comprehensive Deal

An official familiar with the ongoing mediation efforts told Reuters that negotiators were seeking to finalise a “comprehensive agreement” before a ceasefire could be implemented. This approach differs from previous attempts that followed a phased model, which often collapsed during subsequent rounds. “There is a conscious effort among mediators to avoid that approach this time around,” the official said.

Rubio, in interviews with both NBC and ABC, said the immediate focus was on securing the release of all hostages. “Priority number one, the one that we think we can achieve something very quickly on, hopefully, is the release of all the hostages in exchange for Israel moving back to the yellow line,” he said, referring to the Israeli military’s position inside Gaza in mid-August.

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Despite renewed diplomatic activity,  Israeli air and ground strikes continued across the Gaza Strip on Sunday. Local health authorities reported at least 16 deaths, including several children. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, the death toll in the nearly two-year war has surpassed 67,000, with most victims being civilians. Witnesses described scenes of devastation. “All the targets of the Israeli army are children,” said Shadi Mansour, who lost his six-year-old son in an airstrike in Gaza City’s Tuffah neighbourhood.

ALSO READ: Trump Warns Hamas To Act Fast On Gaza Peace Deal After Deadly Strikes, Says 'I Will Not Tolerate...'

In Israel, optimism over the Trump plan has driven market gains, the shekel rose to a three-year high against the dollar and Tel Aviv’s benchmark index hit a record peak. Yet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces political turbulence. Hardline ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir have threatened to collapse the coalition if the war ends prematurely, while opposition leader Yair Lapid pledged to support any credible peace initiative.