Rubio discusses international force in Gaza after preventing the attack
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday that the United States, Israel and other mediators in the Gaza peace deal had shared intelligence to avert a potential attack last weekend and would do so in the future.
“We sent a message through the State Department, and sent it to our mediators as well, about an imminent attack, and it did not happen,” he told reporters while traveling from Israel to Qatar. He added, “So the goal here is to identify the threat before it occurs.”
This comes a week after the State Department announced that it had “credible reports” that Hamas was planning to launch an attack on Palestinian civilians in violation of the agreement.
Rubio said on Saturday that the United States had spoken with countries such as Qatar, Egypt and Turkey that were interested in contributing to an international force to stabilize the region. He added that Indonesia and Azerbaijan are also interested.
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to the media after visiting the Civil-Military Coordination Center in southern Israel on Friday. (Fadl Sina/Pool Photo via AP)
But he said that “many countries that want to be part of it cannot do so without” a UN resolution backing the force.
Rubio also met with President Donald Trump in Qatar ahead of the president’s Asian tour.
Vice President J.D. Vance was also in Israel earlier this week with special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner in an effort to solidify the ceasefire agreement, which went into effect earlier this month.
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Reporters look on as President Donald Trump, seated in the center, meets with the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, seated on the left, and Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, seated on the right, aboard Air Force One at Al Udeid Air Base in Doha, Qatar on Saturday. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Next week, Rubio said the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Kaine, is expected to travel to Israel as well.
Trump thanked Qatar for its role in helping secure the peace agreement during his meeting with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thanit, and the Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman bin Jassim Al Thani.
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A military vehicle conducts maneuvers in Gaza as seen from the Israeli side of the border on Friday. (Reuters/Amir Cohen)
“It has to be a lasting peace,” Trump told reporters about the agreement.
His visit to Qatar was part of his stop to refuel before heading to Asia.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.