U.S. officials say they "stand with Israel's right to defend itself" while pursuing a ceasefire in Gaza

A State Department media statement said Secretary Rubio joined President Trump at the White House this week to welcome Prime Minister Netanyahu and to reiterate U.S. support for Israel while signaling pursuit of a ceasefire in Gaza.

The statement, read by a staff member, said, "we stand with Israel's right to defend itself as we pursue a ceasefire to the war in Gaza." The comment appeared in a weekly State Department summary distributed this week.

The remarks were presented as part of a broader summary of U.S. diplomatic activity; the transcript identifies these remarks as occurring during the same media recap that referenced Secretary Rubio's travel to Asia and meetings with partners in Malaysia and East Asia.

The statement does not specify further operational steps, timelines, or which parties are engaged in ceasefire negotiations. It also does not provide details on any new U.S. policy actions, transfers, or authorizations tied to the comment.

This account is based on a State Department media recap; no formal policy document, executive action, or congressional notification was cited in the remarks.