The Media Line: Rubio: Gaza Ceasefire Effort Entering ‘Critical Phase’ as US Works To Form Multinational Stabilization Force  

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Rubio: Gaza Ceasefire Effort Entering ‘Critical Phase’ as US Works To Form Multinational Stabilization Force  

By The Media Line Staff  

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a press conference on Friday that the Gaza stabilization effort led by President Donald Trump’s administration is making historic progress but faces complex challenges as officials move to maintain the fragile ceasefire and prepare an international security force for deployment.  

Speaking to reporters in Israel before traveling to Qatar, Rubio described the mission as “something the world has never done before,” citing rapid developments during the first two weeks of implementing the Trump administration’s 20-point Gaza plan. He said the process will not be linear, with “ups and downs and twists and turns,” but expressed optimism about the results so far.  

Rubio toured operations at a coordination center in Israel, where US and allied personnel are organizing humanitarian aid deliveries and planning the next stage of postwar stabilization. He noted that aid is now flowing beyond the designated “yellow line” separating secure and contested areas of Gaza, with multiple international and faith-based organizations involved in distribution. He also confirmed that the US will not rely on UNRWA, saying the agency had become “a subsidiary of Hamas.”  

The secretary emphasized that the plan’s success depends on Hamas fully disarming, describing any refusal to do so as a violation of the ceasefire agreement. “Israel has met its commitments,” he said. “If Hamas fails to demilitarize, that will have to be enforced.” He added that more than two dozen countries, including Arab and Muslim states, had signed on to ensure Gaza’s demilitarization and reconstruction.  

Rubio confirmed that Washington is drafting a framework for the proposed International Stabilization Force, which may operate under a UN resolution or a separate international mandate to satisfy participating nations’ legal requirements. He said the issue will be discussed further in Qatar on Sunday.  

State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said Rubio also spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reaffirm US–Israel coordination on implementing the Trump peace plan and to ensure that all hostages’ remains are returned as agreed.