Rubio hopeful for new Gaza truce

MIAMI, Dec 20 (AFP): US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday urged the disarmament of Hamas but voiced hope for headway on reaching the next stage of a Gaza ceasefire as regional officials met.
Top officials of Qatar and Egypt -- key mediators of the ceasefire -- and regional power Turkey headed Friday to Miami to meet US envoys including Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump's friend and roving envoy.
Rubio acknowledged difficulties in achieving peace in Gaza, saying that the ceasefire that went into effect in October with the release of hostages amounted to a "miracle."
"Every day will bring new challenges to that, and we recognize those challenges are coming from all sides," Rubio told a news conference in Washington.
During the second stage, Israel is supposed to withdraw from its positions in Gaza, an interim authority is to govern the Palestinian territory instead of Hamas, and an international stabilization force is to be deployed.
Rubio warned that the process would unravel without disarming Hamas.
"If Hamas is ever in a position in the future that they can threaten or attack Israel, you're not going to have peace," Rubio told journalists, adding: "That's why disarmament is so critical."
Hamas's Gaza chief Khalil al-Hayya said Sunday Hamas men had a "legitimate right" to hold weapons. Israel has repeatedly insisted that Hamas will be disarmed.
Another top Hamas official said that the talks must aim to end Israeli truce "violations."
"Our people expect these talks to result in an agreement to put an end to ongoing Israeli lawlessness, halt all violations and compel the occupation to abide by the Sharm El-Sheikh agreement," Hamas political bureau member Bassem Naim told AFP.
Thailand, Cambodia will
restore truce by Monday
or Tuesday: Rubio
The United States hopes a renewed ceasefire will be reached by early next week to end clashes between Thai and Cambodian forces, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday.
"We are working hard to push everybody back to compliance. And we are cautiously optimistic that we can get there by Monday or Tuesday of next week," Rubio told journalists.
Foreign ministers of the Southeast Asian bloc ASEAN are set to meet Monday in Kuala Lumpur where they will discuss the crisis.
Rubio spoke Thursday by telephone with Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow and said the administration would hold further conversations over the weekend.
President Donald Trump had earlier this year claimed victory after he pressed for an earlier ceasefire, placing Thailand and Cambodia on a list of wars he said he solved.
"Both sides have made commitments in writing that they signed," Rubio said.
"Those commitments today are not being kept as a result of both sides claiming grievances against one another, and so the work now is to bring them back to the table."
He defended the administration's record, saying that its diplomacy "actually did stop fighting" although it has since resumed.