War in Gaza Could End Tomorrow if Hamas Surrenders and Releases Hostages, Says Marco Rubio
During a press briefing in Quito, Ecuador, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared that the war in Gaza could end “tomorrow” if Hamas agreed to disarm, surrender, and release all hostages still held in the besieged territory. His remarks came during a diplomatic tour aimed at strengthening US ties in Latin America, but questions about the ongoing conflict in the Middle East dominated the discussion.
Rubio’s statement was direct and uncompromising, placing the onus squarely on Hamas for the continuation of hostilities. “The war in Gaza could end tomorrow if Hamas disarmed, surrendered, and released the remaining hostages,” he said. The comment underscores the United States’ position that Hamas bears ultimate responsibility for prolonging the nearly two-year war, which has already claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced much of the population.
At the same time, Rubio acknowledged the humanitarian cost of the conflict. “We don’t like the humanitarian suffering,” he said, expressing concern about the worsening crisis. He added that Washington remains committed to providing humanitarian assistance before, during, and after the conflict ends, signaling a dual-track approach that balances political support for Israel with humanitarian obligations to Gaza’s civilians.
US Readiness to Provide Humanitarian Aid
Rubio stressed that the United States has already been a major contributor of humanitarian aid to Gaza and is prepared to increase its assistance. “We’ve provided a lot of aid,” he told reporters. “We’re prepared to provide aid now, and we’re prepared to provide a lot of aid after the war ends as well.”
The Secretary of State’s comments come at a time when humanitarian organizations are issuing dire warnings about the scale of the suffering inside Gaza. Last month, the United Nations confirmed that a famine had taken hold in the region, the first officially declared famine in the Middle East in decades. The UN projected that by the end of September, more than 640,000 people would face catastrophic levels of food insecurity, known as IPC Phase 5—the most severe classification on the global scale.
While the United Nations has pointed to restrictions on aid delivery and the destruction of agricultural infrastructure as drivers of the crisis, the United States has taken a more cautious approach. Acting US ambassador to the UN Dorothy Shea stated that “hunger is a real issue in Gaza and there are significant humanitarian needs,” but also questioned aspects of the UN’s reporting. Israel, for its part, dismissed the findings as “deeply flawed.”
Despite these disputes over data, Rubio’s insistence on future aid highlights Washington’s awareness of the humanitarian fallout and its desire to reassure allies and critics alike that it is committed to alleviating suffering.
Mounting Civilian Death Toll
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is also reflected in the staggering casualty figures. According to local health officials, more than 64,000 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict began nearly two years ago. The high civilian death toll has fueled international outrage, with critics accusing Israel of disproportionate military actions and the United States of providing political cover through its diplomatic vetoes at the UN Security Council.
For many in Gaza, the combination of relentless bombardment, food shortages, and lack of medical supplies has turned daily survival into an existential challenge. International NGOs have described the situation as one of the worst humanitarian crises of the 21st century, with families forced to choose between staying in destroyed neighborhoods or fleeing to already overcrowded shelters with little access to water or electricity.
The spiraling death toll, combined with famine warnings, has intensified calls for a ceasefire, but diplomatic efforts have so far stalled.
Ceasefire Negotiations in Deadlock
Efforts to negotiate a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas remain mired in deadlock, despite months of mediation by Arab nations and international envoys. Last month, Hamas announced that it had accepted a proposal put forward by Egypt and Qatar, which called for a phased ceasefire and the partial release of hostages still being held inside Gaza.
Israel, however, has rejected the plan. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has maintained that Israel will only agree to a ceasefire if all hostages are released and Hamas fully disarms. For Netanyahu, anything less would amount to leaving the militant group in power and capable of rearming in the future. His government has insisted that Hamas must be dismantled militarily and politically before any lasting peace can be achieved.
This gap between the positions of Hamas and Israel has made a comprehensive peace deal elusive. While Arab mediators continue their efforts, the absence of trust between the two sides and the United States’ firm backing of Israel’s conditions have left little room for compromise.
Global Reactions and US Diplomacy
Rubio’s remarks are consistent with longstanding US policy, but they also highlight Washington’s delicate balancing act. On one hand, the United States remains Israel’s most important ally, defending its right to self-defense and providing substantial military aid. On the other, US officials are keenly aware of growing international criticism of Israel’s military campaign, particularly in light of the famine and humanitarian devastation.
The United States has faced increasing isolation at the United Nations, where every member of the Security Council except Washington signed a recent joint statement labeling the famine in Gaza a “man-made crisis.” By opposing that language, the US underscored its skepticism about the UN’s findings but also risked being perceived as downplaying the suffering of civilians.
Rubio’s dual emphasis—blaming Hamas for prolonging the war while pledging aid to civilians—reflects an attempt to bridge this gap. His comments in Ecuador were as much about international optics as they were about the realities of the conflict, sending a message that the US remains engaged on both the political and humanitarian fronts.
What Lies Ahead for Gaza and the Region
The future of the war in Gaza remains deeply uncertain. Rubio’s statement that the conflict could end “tomorrow” underscores how straightforward the solution appears from Washington’s perspective: Hamas disarms, surrenders, and releases hostages, and the war is over. In practice, however, the path to such an outcome is fraught with obstacles.
For Hamas, surrender and disarmament would effectively mean relinquishing power, an outcome the group is unlikely to accept without major concessions. For Israel, the ongoing military campaign has already become a political necessity, with Netanyahu staking his leadership on the promise of eliminating Hamas. And for civilians in Gaza, each day without a ceasefire brings further destruction, hunger, and loss.
International mediators are likely to continue their efforts in the coming weeks, but unless one side fundamentally shifts its stance, the stalemate could persist well into the future. The looming famine and growing death toll, however, may intensify external pressure for a resolution.
Closing Analysis
Marco Rubio’s remarks in Ecuador reflect the United States’ enduring stance on the Gaza conflict: that Hamas holds the key to ending the war. His insistence that peace could come “tomorrow” if the group surrendered may resonate with allies of Israel, but it also glosses over the complex realities of regional politics, humanitarian catastrophe, and deep-rooted mistrust.
As famine takes hold, international outrage mounts, and ceasefire talks remain stuck, Washington’s ability to shape outcomes will be tested. Whether the United States can balance its political support for Israel with its humanitarian obligations to Gaza will define not only the trajectory of this war but also America’s credibility in the region.
For now, Rubio’s statement serves as both a clear demand and a reminder: the war’s end may appear simple in theory, but achieving it on the ground remains an extraordinarily difficult challenge.
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