US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. AP
"I think the Israelis and everyone acknowledge you can't release hostages in the middle of strikes, so the strikes will have to stop," Rubio told CBS News talk show "Face the Nation."
"There can't be a war going on in the middle of it."
In a text exchange with a CNN reporter released Sunday, US President Donald Trump said "yes" when asked if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was on board with ending Israel's genocidal war on Gaza.
Negotiators from Israel and Hamas were set to hold talks in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh, with Netanyahu expressing hope that captives held in Gaza could be released within days.
The diplomatic push follows the Palestinian group's positive response to Trump's roadmap for an end to Israel's nearly two-year war and the release of captives in Gaza in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
Rubio, who appeared on several Sunday talk shows to speak about the situation in Gaza, told NBC's "Meet the Press" that there were "logistical challenges" to address to pave the way for the captive release.
He also predicted that the longer-term goals would be "even harder" to achieve, particularly concerning the governance of Gaza devastated by Israeli bombing and the disarmament of Palestinian fighters.
"You can't set up a government structure in Gaza that's not Hamas in three days. I mean, it takes some time," Rubio told NBC.
*This story was edited by Ahram Online.
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