TEL AVIV: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned on Tuesday that Hamas has only days to accept a ceasefire deal as Israel intensified its bombardment of Gaza City.
Rubio stated that the window for a negotiated settlement is rapidly closing amid ongoing Israeli military operations in the region.
“The Israelis have begun to take operations there, so we think we have a very short window of time in which a deal can happen,“ he told reporters while en route to mediator Qatar.
He emphasised that the United States prefers a diplomatic solution where Hamas agrees to demilitarise and cease posing a threat to Israel.
Rubio described Hamas as “a group of savages” while expressing hope that a peaceful resolution could still be achieved through negotiations.
The secretary met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Monday, offering support for Israel’s new offensive in Gaza City.
Netanyahu’s stated objective remains the complete eradication of Hamas from the Gaza Strip.
Witnesses later reported that Gaza City was experiencing intense bombardment following these diplomatic discussions. – AFP