Rubio tours US-led center in Israel overseeing ceasefire in Gaza

KIRYAT GAT, Israel — Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday toured a U.S.-led center in Israel overseeing the Gaza ceasefire, as the Trump administration worked to set up an international security force in the territory and shore up the truce between Israel and Hamas terrorists.

Rubio was the latest in a series of top U.S. officials to visit the center for civilian and military coordination. Vice President JD Vance was there earlier this week where he announced its opening, and U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, were also in Israel.

Around 200 U.S. troops are working alongside the Israeli military and delegations from other countries at the center, planning the stabilization and reconstruction of Gaza. On Friday, an Associated Press reporter saw international personnel there with flags from Cyprus, Greece, France, Germany, Australia and Canada.

“I think we have a lot to be proud of in the first 10 days, 11 days, 12 days of implementation, where we have faced real challenges along the way,” Rubio said.

He named the U.S. ambassador to Yemen, Steven Fagin, to lead the civilian side of the coordination center in southern Israel. The center’s top military official is Adm. Brad Cooper of the U.S. Central Command.

The United States is seeking support from other allies, especially Gulf Arab nations, to create an international stabilization force to be deployed to Gaza and train a Palestinian force.

Rubio said U.S. officials were working on possible language to secure a United Nations mandate or other international authorization for the force in Gaza because several potential participants would require one before they can take part. He said many countries had expressed interest, and decisions need to be made about the rules of engagement.

He said such countries need to know what they’re signing up for, including “what is their mandate, what is their command, under what authority are they going to be operating, who’s going to be in charge of it, what is their job?” He also said Israel needs to be comfortable with the countries that are participating.

Rubio met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday.

Rubio said Friday that a conglomerate of up to a dozen groups would be involved in aid efforts in Gaza, including from the United Nations and other humanitarian organizations.

However, he said there would be no role for the U.N. aid agency in Gaza, known as UNRWA.

Earlier this week the International Court of Justice said that Israel must allow UNRWA to provide humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian territory.

“The United Nations is here, they’re on the ground, we’re willing to work with them if they can make it work,” Rubio said. “But not UNRWA. UNRWA became a subsidiary of Hamas.”