Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that ongoing negotiations between Hamas and Israel are not yet the end of the war and that setting up a group to govern Gaza would take “some time,” but emphasized that there was a plan to do so.
The peace plan stipulates that Gaza would “be governed under the temporary transitional governance of a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee.” The plan also provides that Hamas, which currently governs Gaza, would not have any role in governing in the future.
“You can’t set up a governance structure in Gaza that’s not Hamas in three days,” Rubio said.
Hamas has expressed a willingness to release all hostages and plans to send a team to Cairo, where more in-depth negotiations will begin Monday. Trump administration special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner plan to attend on behalf of the U.S.
The negotiations in Egypt come after Gaza’s Ministry of Health said the total death toll in the enclave passed 67,000. Israeli attacks continued into Sunday, Gaza’s Civil Defense spokesman Mahmoud Basal told NBC News, despite Trump’s calls to end the strikes.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he hoped to announce the return of the hostages during the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, which lasts from Monday to Oct. 13, and that he had also sent a team to Egypt to “finalize the technical details of the release of our hostages.”
A deal was “not final yet,” he said.
'Meet the Press'
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., accused Senate Democrats of not being “serious” about negotiating an end to the government shutdown.
“They’re not serious. This is not a serious negotiation. They’re doing this to get political cover,” Johnson told NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” accusing Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., of using the government shutdown as a ploy to help a future re-election bid.
Johnson also said that Senate Democrats are the reason the government shut down, accusing them of seeking to fund emergency health services for undocumented immigrants.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., who appeared on “Meet the Press” just before Johnson, accused Republicans of being the driving force behind the ongoing government shutdown, saying that GOP leaders in Congress and President Donald Trump have gone “radio silent” in negotiations to reopen the government.
“The last time there was a conversation with Republican leadership was in the White House meeting last Monday. And unfortunately, since that point in time, Republicans, including Donald Trump, have gone radio silent,” Jeffries told “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker.
Federal judge blocks Trump administration from sending federalized National Guard to Portland
A federal judge in Oregon has blocked the Trump administration from sending members of California’s — or any other state’s — federalized National Guard to the streets of Portland, Oregon.
In a rare, late Sunday night virtual hearing, U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut granted the motion for a temporary restraining order filed by the state of California, which asked her to prevent the deployment of up to 300 members of the California National Guard to Portland.
Earlier Sunday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said that he would sue the Trump administration after it deployed the federalized troops to Oregon. The lawsuit came a day after Immergut blocked President Donald Trump’s attempt to deploy Oregon National Guard troops in Portland.
Separately, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a memo Sunday that he is calling up to 400 members of the Texas National Guard into federal service in Chicago and Portland for up to 60 days with the potential for an extension.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said in a news release Sunday that no federal officials had called him to coordinate the Guard’s deployment.
“We must now start calling this what it is: Trump’s Invasion,” Pritzker, a Democrat, wrote.
Politics in brief
- Thanks, Obama: Former President Barack Obama has stepped up his criticisms of the Trump administration in recent weeks, weighing in more forcefully and frequently than he did at the start of the president’s second term.
- The ‘Truth’ about AI: On Truth Social, Trump has embraced AI media — from obviously fake mythmaking to content with a higher potential to mislead — to attack foes and boost his image.
- Soy, oh soy: The humble soybean has become the latest flashpoint in the Trump administration’s campaign to reshape global trade.
- Pod man out: Some of the internet’s most popular voices with young men — almost all of whom either hosted President Donald Trump or spoke highly of him last November — have some thoughts on what he’s doing wrong.
'SNL' returns with host Bad Bunny addressing his Super Bowl halftime show
“Saturday Night Live” returned after its 50th-anniversary season by mocking President Donald Trump’s administration and also making a little fun of itself.
The cold open took viewers to Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s meeting with senior military officers from across the globe at the Marine Corps Base in Quantico, Virginia. Hegseth was played by “Weekend Update” co-host Colin Jost.
The show’s 51st season was “off to a rough start,” according to James Austin Johnson’s Trump impression.
“Seventeen new cast members and they got the ‘Update’ guy doing the cold open,” Trump said.
The night’s host, Bad Bunny, addressed the controversy over his scheduled performance at the 2026 Super Bowl.
“I’m very happy and I think everyone is happy about it, even Fox News,” he said during the show’s opening monologue. The line was followed by a quick cut of Fox News hosts and commentators each saying one word that, in a sentence, stated, “He should be the next president.”
Mark Sanchez approached and assaulted truck driver before stabbing, police allege
Former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez is accused of approaching and assaulting a delivery driver while intoxicated before the driver then stabbed him multiple times in what he described as self-defense, according to a court filing from Indianapolis prosecutors.
Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said that the incident “should have never happened.”
“What began as a disagreement between a 38-year-old former professional athlete and a 69-year-old man should not have escalated into violence or left anyone seriously injured,” Mears said in a statement Sunday.
The incident first became public when the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department reported that Sanchez had been stabbed during a physical disturbance at 12:30 a.m. Authorities said Sanchez was hospitalized and later placed under arrest for battery with injury, unlawful entry of a motor vehicle and public intoxication.
Sanchez does not have an attorney listed in the court record. Representatives for Sanchez did not immediately respond to NBC News’ request for comment on the allegations on Sunday.
- Bills handed first defeat of season: The New England Patriots narrowly beat Buffalo 23-20, crushing the Bills' dreams of reaching a 5-0 record.
Notable quote
It’s awful. It shouldn’t be this difficult to deal with them when you have a child with disabilities.
Carrie Lazoen, an Illinois mother on the frequent battles she has with insurance
The medical expenses for a toddler born with a rare genetic condition can cost a $3,000 a month. But as one family has found, nearly every insurance claim is a battle.
In case you missed it
- Japan’s governing party elected Sanae Takaichi as its new leader, setting her up to become the U.S. ally’s first female prime minister.
- Jackie Young set a WNBA Finals record with 21 points in the third quarter, finishing with 32 to carry the Las Vegas Aces to a 91-78 victory over the Phoenix Mercury for a 2-0 lead.
- A certified wildlife rehabilitator for the state of New York was arrested and charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty after more than 200 animals were found living in unsanitary conditions in her home, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.
- Two girls were found dead on top of a New York City subway train, prompting a warning from the head of the transit agency about the hazards of “subway surfing.”
- At least two people were killed and a dozen others wounded in a shooting in downtown Montgomery while the city was hosting the Alabama National Fair.
