US Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied that the Israeli military plan to seize 70% of Gaza is included in the Trump administration's 20-point plan to resolve the conflict. Rubio made the statement during his testimony before the House Appropriations Committee on June 3, 2026, where he defended the State Department budget and responded to questions on Gaza and broader foreign policy issues [1, 2].
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military to occupy 70% of Gaza's territory amid ongoing tensions [1, 2]. However, Rubio said, "He made that statement, but that's not part of this plan," clarifying that the U.S. proposal does not call for such a large-scale seizure of territory. Rubio added, "We have a plan. It doesn't call for that," emphasizing a distinct US approach from Israeli military actions [2].
The Trump administration is focused on establishing an international stabilization force in Gaza, but this is conditioned on Hamas's demilitarization. Rubio warned, "No one's going to invest money in Gaza until Hamas is demilitarized, because they know there's going to be another war," underlining the administration’s demand for security guarantees before committing resources [2]. He also stressed, "No, no one's forgotten about it," responding to criticism that the Gaza crisis is neglected [2].
Democratic lawmakers criticized the administration for insufficient progress on the 20-point Gaza plan and ongoing humanitarian concerns. Democratic Representative Rosa DeLauro said, "The Trump administration has forgotten about the crisis in Gaza," highlighting concern over continued violence and civilian impact [2].
Since a ceasefire took effect in Gaza on October 10, 2025, after two years of war, nearly 932 Palestinians have been killed and 2,859 injured by Israeli forces. Overall casualties during the conflict since October 2023 total nearly 73,000 dead and over 173,000 injured [2].
Rubio's testimony underscored US efforts to stabilize Gaza through international involvement while maintaining strong conditions for disarmament of Hamas. The House Appropriations Committee is expected to continue deliberations on the State Department budget and foreign aid strategy in coming months [2].
