US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Israel for a three-day visit and met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Thursday evening. The discussion focused on implementing the peace plan for the Gaza Strip presented by President Donald Trump, as well as security policy coordination between Washington and Jerusalem.

Netanyahu welcomed Rubio and spoke of a phase of special cooperation between the two countries. He noted that President Trump had recently spoken in the Knesset and that US Vice President JD Vance had been in Israel earlier in the week. Rubio is an “extraordinary friend of Israel,” the prime minister stressed. Netanyahu also emphasized the desire to advance peace, even as security challenges persist.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu alongside US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, after their meeting:

“@SecRubio, Marco, welcome again to Jerusalem.
We’ve had incredible visits. First by President @realdonaldTrump, in the Knesset, something that will be etched in our history. pic.twitter.com/8hFSUqYaNG

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) October 23, 2025

After the meeting, Rubio stated that “historic progress” had been made since Trump’s visit. In just a few days, steps had been initiated that hardly anyone had expected. He stressed that the work now needed to be continued and deepened.

Rubio’s visit is part of a series of high-level US trips to Israel. In addition to Vance, White House Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s former advisor Jared Kushner also arrived. The US administration wants to closely oversee the practical implementation of the Gaza plan.

The US government’s plan calls for disarming Hamas, reorganizing the Gaza Strip, and expanding cooperation with Arab states. Israel pledges close cooperation with Washington but also says it will make its own security policy decisions.

Rubio’s trip is intended to facilitate further coordination. According to the US State Department, he aims to reaffirm American support for Israel’s security and consult with regional partners on the next steps. Both sides described the current phase as significant—with opportunities, but also challenges.

The only plan

On Friday, Rubio visited the command hub set up by US officials to monitor and implement the Gaza plan. He insisted that there was no viable plan besides the one Trump put on the table.

“There is no Plan B,” he told reporters at the new Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) in Kiryat Gat. “This is the best plan. It’s the only plan. It’s one that we think can succeed. It’s one that we believe it’s on the way to success, as impossible and unimaginable as it may have been.”

Rubio added, “Remember a month ago, six weeks ago? No one would have thought it possible that you were going to get all the hostages out. And I know that we still have the remains of hostages [set to be returned]. That has to happen. That’s part of this. And we’re very committed to making sure that happens.”

The American noted that while there had been “ups and downs” in the first two weeks of the ceasefire, there was also “a lot of reason for healthy optimism” and that the door had been opened to an “exciting opportunity.”

But he was also clear-headed in that the primary obstacle remains the disarming of Hamas, and was adamant that all commitments be kept.

As for Israel, Rubio was unequivocal: “Israel has met their commitments. They’re standing at the Yellow Line. On the other side of that Yellow Line, there is still a terrorist group that remains armed. And we’ve seen them take actions against their own population. I think it’s important, by the way, that there be more media coverage given to the fact that Hamas has brutalized Palestinians, has brutalized Gazans over the last few days.”

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