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A top US official has ruled out creating an independent Palestinian state right now, calling the move unrealistic amid ongoing efforts to implement a peace plan between Israel and Hamas.

Some shit you should know before you dig in: If you missed it, two days ago Hamas agreed to a US-Israeli-Arab-backed peace plan aimed at ending the two-year war in Gaza through a phased process. The plan begins with a cease-fire and the release of all 48 Israeli hostages (both living and deceased) in exchange for 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,700 detainees held by Israel. In this first phase, Israel would pull its forces back to a designated “yellow line” inside Gaza to facilitate the exchange. The second phase would focus on establishing a transitional, internationally supervised Palestinian technocratic government that excludes Hamas and prepares the ground for long-term governance and reconstruction. Key unresolved issues (including the exact logistics of the hostage handover, how to disarm Hamas, and who would immediately take administrative control of areas vacated by Israeli forces) are still being negotiated.

What’s going on now: Secretary of State Marco Rubio made his rounds on Sunday news programs to discuss the ongoing negotiations. Rubio bluntly said that creating an independent Palestinian state is “not even a realistic thing right now,” arguing that no credible, non-terrorist leadership exists to govern such a state (especially in Gaza) where Hamas still holds power. He questioned, “Who would govern that Palestinian state, Hamas?” and noted that any future Palestinian leadership must be reformed, apolitical, and fully separated from terrorist groups.

Rubio also expanded on the Trump administration’s peace plan, backing its call for Gaza to be governed temporarily by a technocratic Palestinian committee (not Hamas) and supported by an international coalition. He made it clear that while Israel has agreed in principle to eventually hand over control of parts of Gaza, that can only happen once there’s a legitimate authority in place to receive it. “You can’t just set up a governance structure inside of Gaza in 72 hours,” Rubio said, pointing to the massive coordination needed to disarm militants, secure humanitarian access, and rebuild civil institutions from scratch.

He stressed that although this is the closest the US has come to securing the release of all hostages, the process is still fragile. Rubio outlined the logistical challenges like ensuring safe access for the Red Cross, coordinating the timing and locations of the exchanges, and agreeing on who exactly takes control once Israel pulls back. While cautiously optimistic, he warned of potential “pitfalls” that could still derail the deal, and insisted that speed is critical to keeping momentum alive.