Secretary of State Marco Rubio marked a striking turning point in Gaza this week, reflecting on just how much has changed in a single year. A year ago at this time, there were still hostages, there was still active combat, extensive combat operations ongoing in Gaza, Rubio told reporters, contrasting that grim reality with where things stand today. We're in a different place now, he said, but he was quick to temper any celebration, adding that's good, but that's not enough. His remarks came as the Board of Peace, the body established to oversee Gaza's postwar stabilization, pushed forward on the next phase of its mission.

Chaired by President Trump and including Rubio, Jared Kushner, and Tony Blair, the Board of Peace is tasked with a sweeping set of goals: disarming Hamas, securing an Israeli withdrawal, stabilizing the territory, and rebuilding what the war left behind, all under a 20-point plan backed by UN Security Council Resolution 2803. Rubio made clear that a genuine resolution means a Gaza free of Hamas, led by Palestinian governance that reflects its own people rather than the militant group, with a functioning economy that gives residents a real alternative to extremism. That vision is already taking shape on paper, with a newly announced six-month plan covering debris removal, security operations, and transitional governance unveiled during the UN General Assembly. For Rubio, the distance already traveled from hostages and active combat to reconstruction planning is real progress, but by his own admission, it is only the beginning of the work still ahead.