Rubio: International Security Force in Gaza Must Include Countries “Israel Is Comfortable With”
Occupied Palestine (QNN)- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that an international security force will be deployed in Gaza under a future ceasefire agreement. He stressed that this force must consist of countries that Israel feels “comfortable with.”
Speaking at the Civil-Military Coordination Center in Kiryat Gat, south of Tel Aviv, Rubio said Washington is working with several partners to shape the new mission. “The force has not been formed yet,” he noted, adding that many countries have already expressed interest in joining.
Rubio said the United States aims to create “the right conditions” for the force to operate and to prevent a repeat of the October 7 resistance operation. He said discussions are ongoing to determine Gaza’s future governance structure, which will not include Hamas. “Any potential role for the Palestinian Authority has yet to be determined,” he said.
Rubio suggested that the international force could operate under the umbrella of the United Nations, saying, “We will find the framework to make it happen eventually.”
The US expects Hamas to be completely disarmed, Rubio added, emphasizing that Washington will not tolerate any threats to Israel. He claimed that all parties have agreed that Hamas will have no role in Gaza’s future, warning that any refusal by the movement to disarm would violate the ceasefire agreement.
Rubio also stated that the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) cannot operate in Gaza, alleging that it is “affiliated with Hamas”, despite of a recent ICJ ruling against the claim.
On the West Bank, Rubio said that any move by Israel to annex the occupied territory would endanger the peace process. “Such a step would alarm many countries,” he said, adding that peace cannot be achieved “as long as there is any area threatening Israel’s security.”
