KUALA LUMPUR: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he was "hopeful" about the prospect of a ceasefire in Gaza, telling reporters on Thursday that negotiations were "closer" than they had been in some time.
Israel and Hamas began their latest round of talks on Sunday, with representatives seated in separate rooms within the same building.
"We're hopeful... It appears that generally the terms have been agreed to, but obviously now you need to have talks about how you implement those terms," Rubio said on the sidelines of a meeting of Southeast Asian countries in Malaysia.
"I think perhaps we're closer than we've been in quite a while, and we're hopeful, but we also recognise there are still some challenges in the way."
He acknowledged that previous rounds of talks had fallen apart at similar stages. "One of the fundamental challenges is Hamas' unwillingness to disarm, which would end this conflict immediately," Rubio said.
The top US diplomat added that "the Israelis have shown some flexibility."
Hamas has said disagreements over the free flow of aid into Gaza and Israel's military withdrawal were sticking points, as were its demands for "real guarantees" for a lasting peace.
The latest iteration of indirect negotiations, brokered by Qatar, the United States and Egypt, entered their fifth day in Doha on Thursday.
Despite a week-long truce in November 2023 and a two-month halt that began in January 2025, the back-and-forth talks, principally held in Doha and Cairo, have failed to bring about a durable end to the hostilities.