This came in testimony he gave during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Tuesday regarding the State Department's 2026 budget request. Rubio explained that the circulating talk of plans to forcibly transfer Gaza residents to Libya is completely false, noting that there is no such thing as forced displacement.
Rubio added that there is only talk of voluntary arrangements in this regard, as some individuals are expressing their desire to move to another location of their own free will.
In response to questions from committee members, Rubio described the displacement of Palestinians as "temporary measures aimed at alleviating human suffering, not permanent settlement." He confirmed that the United States had approached some countries about accepting Palestinians from Gaza on a temporary basis, but denied any discussions with Libya on the matter.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has continued a massive offensive against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, resulting in hundreds of thousands of casualties and displacement. These US-backed attacks have included killing, destruction, starvation, and forced displacement, resulting in the deaths and injuries of more than 175,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, as well as more than 11,000 missing.
Regarding the Ukrainian issue, Rubio responded to a question about the possibility of Russia offering conditions for a ceasefire in Ukraine, saying that the Russians might offer conditions that would allow for broader negotiations. He also indicated that US President Donald Trump is "determined to end the war" in Ukraine.
In this context, Trump and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, held telephone conversations regarding efforts to end the Russian-Ukrainian war. Since February 24, 2022, Russia has continued its military attack on Ukraine, conditional on Kyiv abandoning its membership in Western military entities.
Regarding the Iranian nuclear program, Rubio emphasized that Trump offered Iran a "way out" that would make it more prosperous if accepted. He added that negotiations with Tehran are ongoing and that the priority is preventing Iran from acquiring the capacity to enrich uranium, which the West considers a threat to international security. He emphasized that sanctions imposed on Iran will remain in place until a nuclear agreement is reached.