A thrill records of “Today with George Stephanopoulos” broadcasting on Sunday, October 5, 2025 on ABC Information is listed below. This duplicate might not remain in its last type, might be upgraded and might include small transcription mistakes. For previous program records, check out the “Today” records archive.
MARTHA RADDATZ: I’m signed up with currently by Assistant of State Marco Rubio. Greetings to you, Mr. Assistant. Allow’s grab where Ian ended. Exist genuine indicators of hope right here? Is this various?
MARCO RUBIO: This is the closest we have actually concerned obtaining every one of the captives launched. Every one. All 48, consisting of the 28 that are deceased. Obviously, the 20 that are still to life. However, you understand, there’s a great deal of risks along the road. There’s some job to be done right here. I would certainly motivate everybody to consider this in 2 stages. Stage leading, which Hamas has actually approved is the head of state’s structure for launch. The captives are launched and Israel draws back to what’s been called the yellow line, approximately where they remained in August of in 2014. Which exchange occurs. Which’s the very first stage of these talks, since you need to overcome the logistics of that. You understand where do we– that’s mosting likely to come select them up, what’s mosting likely to be the procedure for the exchange. We wish to see that take place extremely rapidly. The 2nd stage of this discussion, and they can be occurring concurrently, is what occurs afterwards. What occurs after Israel draws back to this line? What occurs with this worldwide team that’s mosting likely to be available in and develop an administration framework, a global administration framework led by technocrats, Palestinian technocrats, and so on? That’s the component that I believe is mosting likely to be a little harder to overcome, yet that’s what’s mosting likely to give permanency throughout of the dispute. So we’re concentrated on those 2 stages. Stage leading, extremely essential, obtaining those 20 captives– all 48 captives back.
MARTHA RADDATZ: And Mr. Assistant, allow’s pierce down on a few of those points. Among things that Hamas stated concerning launching the captives is with the stipulation of appropriate area problems for accomplishing the exchange. You discussed that briefly, yet is that a complex procedure? Do you truly have hope they will be launched and these aren’t points to delay?
MARCO RUBIO: I do have hope that they’ll be launched. And I believe there’s possibilities. Look, the area problem item, which the head of state mentioned in his Fact Social article on Friday night, is you can not have an exchange of captives, you can not, you understand, clearly bring them out if bombs are going off and energetic battle is happening. And luckily, as you saw, the Israelis have actually introduced that they have actually currently put on hold all offending procedures in the area, with the exemption of like, dealing with an impending risk. You understand, somebody’s coming in the direction of them with what they believe may be a self-destruction vest–
MARTHA RADDATZ: There were battles last evening.
MARCO RUBIO:– Address that.
MARTHA RADDATZ: There were battles last evening in Gaza City
MARCO RUBIO: Well, after that we need to check out that. Yeah. Well, once again, we need to look specifically what those procedures were. However inevitably, yes, you can not have an exchange and if there’s energetic battle continuous, you simply can not do it. I suggest, for the security of the captives and for the Red Cross or whoever it is that’s mosting likely to enter there and becoming part of this exchange. You need to establish the problems. The Israelis have actually stated that they would just handle unavoidable dangers. So we’ll check out any one of that since that’s mosting likely to be an essential element. Undoubtedly, we need to ensure Hamas is likewise doing their component hereof. However, there are a great deal of possibilities right here for whoever wishes to undermine it to do so. Which consists of Hamas incidentally, there are aspects connected to Hamas undermining it by by as a matter of fact, you understand, developing problems that are unrealistic for an exchange. So no person stated this is mosting likely to be simple. This is great progression, yet a great deal of job continues to be. However it is one of the most substantial advancement in this whole circumstance in a long time. And it’s the closest we have actually remained in a very long time to seeing a course in the direction of the launch of every captive.
MARTHA RADDATZ: And among things Head of state Trump stated is that the, the captives ought to be gone back to Israel within 72 hours of approval of the strategy. Has that clock began, or do you not fairly believe they’ve approved the strategy?
MARCO RUBIO: Well, I believe they have actually approved the lays out and the concepts of the strategy. What hasn’t been exercised, as we simply talked about is what is the logistics of it, you understand, just how is it mosting likely to function? Where, where what time, where, you understand, there are logistics entailed right here. You have actually reached send out someone right into that location to go select them up. We saw that formerly in the various other captive launches where the Red Cross would certainly enter, they would certainly take wardship of these individuals. They would certainly bring them back out. Every one of that needs to be exercised. And I believe then is when I would certainly state, if we wish to obtain technological concerning this and judicial is when the clock would certainly start to run. The objective in claiming 72 hours is he wishes to see it take place rapidly. This is not something that can drag out. We can not be right here 3 weeks from currently still going over, you understand, the logistics of just how, captives are mosting likely to be launched. That needs to take place extremely rapidly in order for the remainder of this bargain to acquire energy. We’re managing 2 sides right here that definitely dislike each various other. And clearly we recognize after October 7th, 2 years earlier, why it is that the Israelis have such little count on Hamas and no person ought to have any type of count on Hamas. However we reached obtain this point done. And, and I would certainly state we wish to see it done extremely rapidly. And the captive tranquility needs to take place extremely, extremely quick.
MARTHA RADDATZ: And you’re speaking about within a number of days? Should we anticipate it following week if it does occur today?
MARCO RUBIO: Well, in fact it chats, yeah, currently a few of the technological talk is occurring today. And our hope is that by the time our group reaches Cairo, 90% of this has actually been exercised and we’re simply type of settling the logistical item. We want to see it done the other day. I suggest, we wish to see the captives relocating as rapidly as feasible. We recognize that we need to obtain the groups like the Red Cross or whoever it is it’s mosting likely to be that enters and obtains all these points need to be exercised. And, which should not take that lengthy. All those talks are happening also as I talk to you currently. We’re wishing it will certainly be completed extremely rapidly, early today. And I’m wishing, you understand, once again, that recognizes the timeline. However this can not take weeks and even numerous days. We wish to see this take place extremely quick. If it does not, after that I believe the whole bargain ends up being threatened. So this needs to take place rapidly. For the captives, the family members and this bargain.
MARTHA RADDATZ: And Assistant Rubio, Head of state Trump likewise stated that Hamas can not position a risk once again. They have actually not discussed component of this bargain, which is deactivating.
MARCO RUBIO: Yeah. Look, that’s mosting likely to be an essential element of that 2nd stage we simply talked about. As long as as lengthy as there’s a risk rising from Gaza versus Israel safety and security, be it Hamas or some follower company, as long as there are individuals, companies within Gaza that have rockets, construct passages, wish to abduct, murder and rape, Israeli people and assault Israel, there isn’t mosting likely to be tranquility. Every person recognizes this, consisting of the Arab nations in the area, which is why they all joined to this bargain advanced by Head of state Trump, that manages the reality that what Israel desires, what we desire with the bargain imagines with the nations in the area imagine is a Gaza that’s run by Palestinian technocrats and Palestinian civil slaves and Palestinian leaders that do not position a risk to Israel. If there is a risk rising from Gaza, you’re not mosting likely to have tranquility right here that’s lasting. To ensure that needs to take place, that demobilization needs to take place. And plainly, Hamas is a company that we do not think can be a component of that. As a result of their background, their extremely function for presence is to endanger the Israeli state. To ensure that’ll need to be attended to in the 2nd stage. And it’s mosting likely to be a difficult item of it, no question concerning it. However if we genuinely desire sustaining tranquility, anybody that favors sustaining tranquility must favor demobilization of Hamas or any type of various other armed terrorist company that looks for to run from Gaza.
MARTHA RADDATZ: And Head of state Trump’s ally, Legislator Lindsey Graham, was crucial of Hamas’s feedback. He stated it was a traditional, “yes, yet.” What would certainly you state to the legislator?
MARCO RUBIO: Well, I would certainly state most of us need to be clear considered concerning this, right? There are problems that need to be fulfilled right here. If 2 weeks from currently or a week from currently, whatever, it’s clear that the captives are mosting likely to be launched and they’re playing video games, after that I believe the head of state specified what our setting is mosting likely to be. He did so in a Fact Social article on Friday early morning, providing a 6 p.m. due date of Sunday to approve. And I believed that it was informing that within hours of that, we obtain this letter from Hamas primarily claiming we accept the structure the head of state’s advanced. Allow’s have our arbitrators discuss the– the logistics for the launch of the captives, and we require to become part of more speak about the remainder of the bargain. So no person right here is asserting this is done. What we are asserting is that we have actually relocated a– So we remain in a far better location today than we were 7 days earlier. A great deal can have occurred incorrect right here, yet a lot can take place, appropriate If we can obtain this done and we’re extremely devoted to making that take place. And appearance, it’s not simply the USA, although this is an effort that Head of state Trump is entitled to a significant quantity of credit scores for. However it’s Qatar, it’s the UAE, it’s Israel that’s been associated with these talks. It’s Saudi Arabia, it’s Indonesia, it’s nations like Egypt and Jordan and various other nations from the area, every one of whom are pressing difficult and lag this initiative. Most of us wish to see it obtain done. And I believe that cumulative stress can make this take place. I’m hopeful it will certainly take place, yet it will not be simple.
MARTHA RADDATZ: We are absolutely all wishing it occurs also. Many thanks for joining us today, Mr. Assistant. We value it.
MARCO RUBIO: Thanks.
