UNRWA ‘subsidiary of Hamas’ cannot be involved in governing future of Gaza: Marco Rubio

TEL AVIV: Calling the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) a “subsidiary of Hamas”, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday categorically said that “Hamas cannot be involved in governing the future of Gaza.”

The top US official said this while addressing a press conference at the US Civil-Military Coordination Centre in Israel’s Kiryat Gat.

“Here’s a lot of work to be done here and there’s going to be some impediments along the way and things of this nature that people put out there. Suffice it to say that everyone that signed onto this plan, all of these other countries agreed and everyone agreed that Hamas cannot govern and cannot be involved in governing the future of Gaza. Everyone’s agreed to that. That has to be part of this,” Rubio stated.

He said that the immediate focus remains on sustaining the ceasefire and ensuring humanitarian aid reaches those in need.

“We’re still at the stage of just trying to maintain the ceasefire. We’re trying to get humanitarian assistance to flow. We’re trying to get to the stage of ensuring that all the commitments made, including the hostages, are lived up to,” he added.

He further warned about the terrorist elements that still operate inside Gaza, and emphasised the need to neutralise any threats emanating from the Gaza Strip toward Israel.

“There are still terrorists inside of Gaza, particularly behind that yellow or in front of that yellow line,” he noted, referring to demarcation zones in ongoing military and humanitarian operations.

“UNRWA is not going to play any role in it. The UN we can; we’re seeing the work they’re doing. The World Food Programme. There are also nonprofit NGOs, humanitarian assistance organisations that are involved in this. It’s a conglomeration of about 8 to 12 groups that are here. The United Nations is here. They’re on the ground. We’re willing to work with them if they can make it work, but not UNRWA. UNRWA became a subsidiary of Hamas,” the US State Secretary added.

Rubio’s remark comes during a time when there is a growing frustration in Washington with Israel’s recent political moves, particularly the Knesset’s vote on Thursday to advance two bills to annex parts of the West Bank, which reportedly stunned US officials.

Rubio also met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “build on the momentum towards durable peace and integration in the Middle East.”

Top White House officials, including US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and US Vice-President JD Vance and his wife, Usha Vance, had also met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, after Israel on Sunday stated that it has announced a “renewed enforcement” of the ceasefire agreement following a series of air strikes in Gaza, launched in retaliation for what it claims to be attacks on its forces by Hamas. (ANI)