JERUSALEM: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has endorsed Israel’s renewed military offensive in Gaza City and its objective to eliminate Hamas during his visit to Jerusalem.
Rubio aligned completely with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s position despite recent criticism from President Donald Trump regarding Israeli airstrikes in Qatar.
“The people of Gaza deserve a better future, but that better future cannot begin until Hamas is eliminated,“ Rubio stated during a joint press conference with Netanyahu.
He assured Israel of “our unwavering support” while expressing skepticism about Qatari-mediated ceasefire negotiations.
Rubio characterized Hamas as “barbaric animals” following their October 2023 attack that initiated the current conflict.
“As much as we may wish that there be a sort of a peaceful, diplomatic way to end it, and we’ll continue to explore and be dedicated to it, we also have to be prepared for the possibility that that’s not going to happen,“ he added.
The Secretary’s itinerary includes travel to Doha to reaffirm US support for Qatari sovereignty following Trump’s directive that Israel refrain from further strikes in the Gulf state.
Netanyahu praised the visit as demonstrating US solidarity and called Trump “the greatest friend that Israel has ever had.”
This diplomatic engagement precedes a UN summit where several US allies plan to recognize Palestinian statehood, which both officials criticized as counterproductive.
Rubio dismissed potential recognition as “largely symbolic” and claimed it “emboldened” Hamas’s hardline stance.
Netanyahu warned Israel might take “unilateral steps” in response to international recognition of Palestinian statehood.
The ongoing military operation in Gaza City continues amid severe humanitarian conditions that the UN described as famine-like, though Israel disputes this assessment.
Israeli strikes reportedly killed 49 people on Monday, primarily in Gaza City, though independent verification remains challenging due to media restrictions.
Rubio also participated in symbolic events including the inauguration of a controversial tourist tunnel beneath Silwan’s Palestinian neighbourhood and visited the Western Wall.
He described Jerusalem as the “eternal capital” of Israel, continuing the Trump administration’s departure from previous US diplomatic caution regarding the contested city.
The Secretary met privately with families of the 47 remaining hostages held in Gaza since the October 7 attack that killed 1,219 people.
Israel’s retaliatory campaign has resulted in over 64,900 fatalities according to Gaza health ministry figures considered reliable by the United Nations. – AFP