U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday (February 16, 2025) absolutely endorsed Israel’s conflict goals within the Gaza Strip, saying Hamas “have to be eradicated” and throwing the way forward for the shaky ceasefire into additional doubt.
Mr. Rubio met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem initially of a regional tour, the place he’s prone to face pushback from Arab leaders over President Donald Trump‘s proposal to switch the Palestinian inhabitants out of the Gaza Strip and redevelop it beneath U.S. possession.
Mr. Netanyahu has welcomed the plan, and mentioned he and Mr. Trump have a “frequent technique” for Gaza’s future. Echoing Mr.Trump, he mentioned “the gates of hell can be open” if Hamas doesn’t launch dozens of remaining hostages kidnapped in its Oct 7, 2023, assault that triggered the conflict.
Their remarks got here simply two weeks earlier than the primary part of the ceasefire is ready to finish. The second part, during which Hamas is to launch dozens of remaining hostages in trade for extra Palestinian prisoners, an enduring truce and the withdrawal of Israeli forces, has but to be negotiated.
Mr. Rubio mentioned Hamas “can not proceed as a navy or authorities drive”.
“So long as it stands as a drive that may govern or as a drive that may administer or as a drive that may threaten by use of violence, peace turns into not possible,” Mr. Rubio mentioned. “It have to be eradicated.”
Such language might complicate efforts to proceed talks with Hamas, which, regardless of struggling heavy losses within the conflict, stays intact and in command of Gaza.
The Israeli navy in the meantime mentioned it carried out an airstrike early Sunday (February 16, 2025) on individuals who approached its forces in southern Gaza. The Hamas-run Inside Ministry mentioned the strike killed three of its policemen whereas they have been securing the entry of support vehicles close to Rafah, on the Egyptian border.
Hamas mentioned that assault was a “severe violation” of the ceasefire and accused Mr. Netanyahu of attempting to sabotage the deal.
Resuming the conflict might doom the remaining hostages
Resuming the conflict could possibly be a dying sentence for the remaining hostages and will not achieve annihilating Hamas, which survived a 15-month Israeli onslaught and rapidly reasserted management over Gaza when the ceasefire took maintain final month.
Mr. Netanyahu has signalled readiness to renew the conflict after the present stage and has supplied Hamas an opportunity to give up and ship its prime leaders into exile. Hamas has rejected such a situation.
Mr. Netanyahu additionally has but to approve the entry of cellular properties and heavy equipment into the Gaza Strip, as required by the ceasefire settlement.
Hamas had threatened to carry up the discharge of hostages final week over the difficulty, elevating fears the ceasefire might unravel, earlier than continuing with the discharge of three captives primarily based on what it mentioned have been assurances from Arab mediators.
An Israeli official, talking on situation of anonymity in step with rules, mentioned the difficulty can be mentioned within the coming days and that Israel was coordinating with the USA.
In one other signal of the 2 allies closing ranks, Israel’s Protection Ministry mentioned it obtained a cargo of two,000-pound (900-kg) MK-84 munitions from the USA. The Biden administration had paused a cargo of such bombs final yr over considerations about civilian casualties in Gaza.
‘If somebody has a greater plan… that is nice’
In a radio interview final week, Mr. Rubio indicated that Mr. Trump’s proposal was partially aimed toward pressuring Arab states to provide you with their very own postwar plan that might be acceptable to Israel, which says Hamas can don’t have any position in Gaza.
He additionally appeared to counsel that Arab nations ship in troops to fight Hamas.
“If somebody has a greater plan, and we hope they do, if the Arab nations have a greater plan, then that is nice,” Mr. Rubio mentioned Thursday on the “Clay and Buck Present.”
However “Hamas has weapons,” he added. “Somebody has to confront these guys. It is not going to be American troopers. And if the nations within the area cannot determine that piece out, then Israel goes to must do it after which we’re again to the place we have been.”
Mr. Rubio was not scheduled to fulfill with any Palestinians on his journey.
Arabs have restricted choices as Israel has rejected previous plans
For Arab leaders, facilitating the mass expulsion of Palestinians or battling Palestinian militants on behalf of Israel are each nightmare eventualities. Both would open them as much as fierce home criticism and probably destabilise an already unstable area.
Egypt says it should host an Arab summit on Feb 27 and is working with different nations on a counterproposal that might enable for Gaza to be rebuilt with out eradicating its inhabitants. Human rights teams say the expulsion of Palestinians would possible violate worldwide legislation.
Egypt has warned that any mass inflow of Palestinians from Gaza would undermine its practically half-century-old peace treaty with Israel, a cornerstone of American affect within the area.
Arab and Muslim nations have till now conditioned any help for postwar Gaza on a return to Palestinian governance with a pathway to statehood in Gaza, the West Financial institution and east Jerusalem, territories Israel seized within the 1967 Mideast conflict.
The Biden administration spent months rallying regional powers behind such plans, however they fizzled as Israel dominated out not solely a Palestinian state but in addition any position in Gaza for the Western-backed Palestinian Authority, whose forces have been pushed out when Hamas seized energy there in 2007.
Hamas has mentioned it’s keen to relinquish energy in Gaza however insists on Palestinian rule.
Rubio to go to regional heavyweights
Mr. Rubio can also be set to go to the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, regional heavyweights which have rejected any mass displacement of Palestinians and can be key to any regional response.
The United Arab Emirates was the driving drive behind the 2020 Abraham Accords during which 4 Arab states normalised relations with Israel throughout Mr. Trump’s earlier time period. Mr. Trump hopes to increase the accords to incorporate Saudi Arabia, probably providing nearer U.S. defence ties, however the kingdom has mentioned it won’t normalise relations with Israel with no pathway to a Palestinian state.
Mr. Rubio won’t be visiting Egypt or Jordan, shut U.S. allies at peace with Israel which have refused to just accept any inflow of Palestinian refugees. Mr. Trump has at occasions advised he would possibly slash U.S. support to the 2 nations, which could possibly be devastating for his or her economies, if they do not comply.
He’s additionally skipping Qatar, which together with Egypt had served as a key mediator with Hamas in brokering the ceasefire.
Mr. Trump took credit score for the ceasefire, which was reached within the closing days of the Biden administration after his Mideast envoy, Steve Witkoff, joined the talks. However extra not too long ago, Mr. Trump has advised that Israel resume the conflict if the remaining dozens of hostages are usually not launched prior to deliberate.
Revealed – February 16, 2025 07:43 pm IST
