US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he will travel to Israel following Vice President JD Vance’s visit, aiming to ensure that the fragile US-brokered Gaza ceasefire remains intact.
Jerusalem: As US Vice President JD Vance concludes his visit to Israel, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced plans to travel to the country to help sustain the momentum of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Vance earlier inaugurated a civilian-military coordination centre in southern Israel, where around 200 US troops are collaborating with Israeli forces and international partners to plan Gaza’s stabilisation and reconstruction.
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Speaking at Joint Base Andrews, Rubio said he intends to visit the centre and appoint a senior Foreign Service official to coordinate efforts with Vice Adm Brad Cooper, the top US military commander in the Middle East.
The US is seeking international cooperation, particularly from Gulf nations, to establish a multinational stabilisation force in Gaza and train a new Palestinian police force not affiliated with Hamas. Rubio said such a force “still has to be trained and equipped” before deployment.
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He also criticised a symbolic move by far-right Israeli lawmakers to advance a bill granting Israel authority to annex the occupied West Bank — a step the US administration opposes. “President Donald Trump has made clear that’s not something we’d be supportive of right now,” Rubio said, calling the move potentially harmful to peace efforts.
Meanwhile, Vance visited Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulcher — a historic Christian site — before meeting Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and senior military leaders in Tel Aviv. He reaffirmed the US’s desire for an equal partnership with Israel, stating, “We don’t want a vassal state; we want a partnership, we want an ally.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is expected to meet Rubio on Friday, echoed similar sentiments while acknowledging differences as both nations advance the US-led peace framework.
Separately, Israel’s Supreme Court held a hearing on Thursday regarding access for foreign journalists to Gaza, which has remained closed to international media since the conflict began on 7 October 2023. The court gave the state 30 days to reconsider its position under the new ceasefire conditions.
The Foreign Press Association, representing international outlets including The Associated Press, has repeatedly sought access to Gaza, arguing that restrictions hinder coverage. Nearly 200 Palestinian journalists have been killed during the conflict, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Tania Kraemer, chairperson of the FPA, said it was time for Israel to “lift the closure and let us do our work alongside our Palestinian colleagues.”
(With AP inputs)
Published: 23 Oct 2025, 03:01 pm IST
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