ISTANBUL

The US is exploring ways to deploy international forces to Gaza, possibly under a UN mandate, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday.

“Some of these countries can’t participate unless they have a mandate from the UN,” Rubio told the press at the US-Israel coordination center for Gaza in Kiryat Gat, 56 kilometers (34.7 miles) south of Israel's capital, Tel Aviv.

“So maybe it’ll be a UN resolution—that’s one route. We could have an international agreement as well. We’re working through that. We’ll find the right formula to do it. Maybe the UN,” he added.

On the Gaza ceasefire deal, Rubio said that implementing the plan is “not going to be a linear journey. There’s going to be ups and downs and twists and turns.”

“But I think we have a lot of reason for healthy optimism about the progress that’s being made,” he added.

Rubio also warned about Israeli bills to annex the occupied West Bank. “It’s a threat to the peace process.”

Regarding the normalization deals in 2020 between Israel and several Arab countries, he went on to say: “We’d like to have as many members of the Abraham Accords as possible.”

Rubio’s visit came on Thursday shortly after Vance concluded a 3-day visit to Israel, during which he held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior officials.

The first phase of Trump’s 20-point Gaza ceasefire deal was reached on Oct. 10.

Phase one includes the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The plan also envisages the rebuilding of Gaza and the establishment of a new governing mechanism without Hamas.

Since October 2023, the Israeli genocidal war has killed over 68,200 people and injured more than 170,300, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.