Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated his firm stance on the hostage situation in Gaza, stating that severe consequences will follow if all captives are not released. Speaking alongside visiting U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Netanyahu declared, “We have a common strategy, and we can’t always share the details of this strategy with the public, including when the gates of hell will be opened, as they surely will if all our hostages are not released until the last one.”
Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to dismantling Hamas’s military capabilities and ending its political rule in Gaza. “We will eliminate Hamas’s military capability and its political rule in Gaza,” he said. “We will bring all our hostages home, and we will ensure that Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel.”
He also expressed gratitude for U.S. support, stating, “The unequivocal support of the United States on Gaza will help us achieve these objectives faster and set us on a path for a different future.”
The Israeli leader mentioned his discussions with Rubio regarding U.S. President Donald Trump’s vision for Gaza’s future. Trump recently proposed that the U.S. take over the Gaza Strip, transforming it into a luxury destination while resettling Palestinian residents in other countries, including Egypt and Jordan. The proposal has sparked widespread global criticism.
Rubio acknowledged that Trump’s proposal had surprised many but defended its boldness. “The president has been very bold about his view of what the future for Gaza should be—not the same tired ideas of the past, but something that’s bold and, frankly, took courage and vision,” Rubio said.
He stressed the necessity of breaking the recurring cycle of conflict, asserting that Hamas “cannot continue as a military or a government force… they must be eliminated… it must be eradicated.”
Rubio further emphasized that Trump’s top priority remains securing the release of hostages taken during Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023. “The first priority for the president is that the hostages held in Gaza need to come home, they need to be released,” he said.
