In Jerusalem, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and showed strong support for Israel’s goals in Gaza. He stated that Hamas, the group controlling Gaza, “must be destroyed” and emphasized that a peaceful future is impossible as long as Hamas exists as a fighting force.
Rubio’s visit comes at a crucial time, just two weeks before a ceasefire plan is set to change. The upcoming phase of the plan could involve Hamas releasing some hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, leading to a longer-lasting peace agreement.
While meeting Netanyahu, Rubio said that Hamas “cannot continue as a military or government force.” He said Israel and the U.S. share the same vision for handling Gaza, which may make future talks with Hamas more difficult since the group is still in power despite suffering losses in the conflict.
The Israeli military reported it carried out airstrikes in southern Gaza, claiming it was in response to threats. Hamas criticized these strikes as a violation of the ceasefire agreement. They warned that restarting the conflict could put the remaining hostages in danger.
Rubio hinted that if Arab nations have better ideas for the future of Gaza, they should propose them, but he believes that fighting Hamas is essential. He remarked, “Hamas has guns.” Therefore, someone must confront them. However, he stated it wouldn’t be American soldiers.
Arab leaders, facing big decisions, are concerned about the potential mass movement of Palestinians and its consequences for their own countries. Egypt plans to hold a summit on February 27 to discuss rebuilding Gaza without removing its people.
Rubio is scheduled to continue his regional tour, but he won’t meet with any Palestinians. His visit is significant as Arab nations like the UAE and Saudi Arabia have rejected displacing Palestinians. These countries are critical for any future negotiations.
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