Pakistan, July 10 -- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he feels "hopeful" about a ceasefire in Gaza. He shared this during a press talk at the ASEAN meeting in Kuala Lumpur. Rubio said Israel and Hamas seem closer to agreeing than they've been in recent times. Talks resumed on Sunday, with both sides sitting in separate rooms in the same building.

Rubio said most terms appear to be settled. But now the challenge is how to put those terms into action. He added that past talks also broke down at this same point. So while there's hope, he stressed that obstacles still remain. One key issue, he said, is Hamas' refusal to disarm. Rubio believes peace would come quickly if Hamas disarmed.

The United States, Qatar, and Egypt are brokering...