Rubio says does not see permanent division of Gaza

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saturday he did not envision a permanent division of Gaza, despite Israeli troops remaining in an area prioritised for reconstruction.

Under a U.S.-brokered cease-fire, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a "Yellow Line," leaving them in control of around half of Gaza. The United States has said that reconstruction aid would be focused on the area under Israeli control.

Rubio said that an international force, which the U.S. and regional mediators are trying to build, would move to enforce security across the Palestinian territory.

Gaza's current masters, Hamas, could have no role in the future, he added.

"I think, ultimately, the point of the stabilisation force is to move that line until it covers hopefully all of Gaza, meaning all of Gaza will be demilitarised," Rubio told reporters on his plane between Israel and Qatar.

"Ultimately, the more of Gaza is demilitarized, the more of Gaza terrorism is removed from, the more of it is going to look like that green zone, and that line will move as a result of it," he added.

"That's the long-term plan. The Israelis have made it abundantly clear they have no interest in occupying Gaza."

The main Palestinian factions, including Hamas, have agreed to form a committee of technocrats to administer Gaza alongside the international cease-fire and reconstruction effort.

But Hamas has resisted calls for its immediate disarmament, launching a crackdown on rival Palestinian gangs and armed groups in Gaza since the two-week-old cease-fire began. 

On Saturday, Mousa Abu Marzouk, Hamas' head of international relations and legal affairs, warned: "Excluding Hamas from maintaining stability in the Gaza Strip could lead to chaos and a security vacuum."   

Rubio was the latest top U.S. official to come to Israel to push forward the cease-fire, arriving on the heels of Vice President JD Vance.

Rubio said he expected General Dan Caine, the top U.S. military officer, to visit Israel next week.