U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said war in Gaza continues as talks in Egypt aim to finalize Trump’s peace plan for hostage release and ceasefire.
Rubio says Gaza war continues as U.S.-backed talks seek full ceasefire deal
Despite statements that Israel and Hamas agree to key points of Donald Trump’s peace plan, the war in Gaza continues. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said this, stressing that “everything depends on the technical negotiations on the release of the hostages.”
According to Rubio, the US will quickly see whether Hamas is really ready for peace:
“We will understand very quickly how serious Hamas is — everything will become clear from how the technical negotiations go.”
Trump’s plan, which includes an end to the war, the withdrawal of Israeli troops and the exchange of hostages, has sparked cautious optimism in the region. At the same time, Hamas left a number of issues open — in particular, regarding disarmament, which Israel demands.
New format of negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh
Representatives of Israel, the United States, Qatar and Hamas will meet in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, to discuss a final agreement.
According to a Reuters source, this time the parties are seeking to adopt a comprehensive agreement immediately, rather than act in stages, as was the case before:
“Previous negotiations broke down precisely at the intermediate stages. Now the mediators are deliberately avoiding a staged approach.”
Rubio stressed that the process should be as fast as possible:
“We cannot allow this to drag on for weeks. The hostage issue must be resolved very quickly.”
Shelling continues in Gaza, despite hopes
Despite diplomatic progress, Israeli airstrikes have not stopped. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, at least 19 people have died, including children.
Palestinians are calling for the Trump plan to be implemented as soon as possible:
“We are tired. If they have agreed to peace, let them stop this hell,” said Gaza resident Saud Karneita.
Israel between peace and political pressure
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing pressure from two sides:
The public and the families of the hostages are demanding an end to the war. Right-wing allies in the government are threatening to topple him if the fighting stops.
At the same time, opposition leader Yair Lapid has promised to support the government if it helps implement the plan:
“We will not let extremists disrupt this agreement.”
International Reaction: Market Optimism
Amidst the peace signals, the Israeli shekel strengthened to a three-year high and the Tel Aviv stock market hit a historic high.
Tel Aviv residents also expressed cautious optimism:
“For the first time in a long time, there is hope. Trump really gave us the feeling that the end is near,” says local resident Gil Shelley.
Background to the Conflict
The war began after a Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, in which about 1,200 Israelis were killed and 251 were taken hostage. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, the Israeli campaign has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, most of them civilians.
Trump’s plan remains the most realistic attempt to end the two-year war, but the success of the talks in Egypt depends on whether Hamas and Netanyahu are willing to make politically painful concessions.
Related: Trump Urges Ceasefire, but Israeli Strikes Leave Dozens Dead in Gaza
