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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has fully committed to supporting Israel’s stated war goals in Gaza, including the complete eradication of Hamas and the implementation of President Donald Trump’s plan to move Palestinians and redevelop the territory under US ownership.
Some shit you should know before you read: Since the war in Gaza began, Israel’s stated war efforts have centered on the complete eradication of Hamas as both a military and governing force, arguing that the group’s continued presence makes lasting peace impossible. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said that Israel will not accept a post-war Gaza governed by Hamas or the Palestinian Authority, instead advocating for a new governance structure under external control.
What’s going on now: After wrapping up his trip in Israel over the weekend, Secretary Rubio strongly reaffirmed US support for Israel’s war efforts, stating that Hamas “must be eradicated” and that any lasting peace in the region is impossible while the group remains in power. “As long as it stands as a force that can govern or as a force that can administer or as a force that can threaten by use of violence, peace becomes impossible,” Rubio told reporters. He aligned himself with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s position, agreeing that the war must continue until Hamas is fully dismantled, regardless of ceasefire negotiations. Netanyahu, in turn, welcomed Rubio’s stance, calling the US approach “bold” and stating that he and former President Trump share a ‘common strategy’ for Gaza’s future.
During his visit, Rubio also endorsed Trump’s controversial plan to move the Palestinian population from Gaza and place the location under US control, a proposal that has drawn strong condemnation from Arab states and human rights organizations. “The president has also been very bold, not the same tired ideas of the past but something new,” Rubio said, defending the initiative as a necessary step for stability. Netanyahu fully backed the proposal, stating that he was ‘committed’ to Trump’s vision for a “different Gaza” and vowing that neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority would have a role in governing the territory. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz later announced plans for a new government agency dedicated to facilitating the “voluntary departure” of Palestinians from Gaza, a move critics argue amounts to forced displacement.
Rubio’s statements, along with Netanyahu’s strong endorsement of Trump’s plan, have raised doubts about the fragile ceasefire negotiations and the prospects for a long-term peace agreement. Netanyahu repeatedly warned that if Hamas does not release the remaining hostages from the October 7 attack, “the gates of hell would be open” in Gaza.
This all comes as the leaders of Egypt and Jordan have shot down President Trump’s proposal to relocate Palestinians from Gaza, rejecting any plan that would result in a mass influx of refugees into their countries. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has warned that forcing Gazans into Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula would undermine Egypt’s national security and violate its longstanding peace treaty with Israel. Jordan’s King Abdullah II has also strongly opposed the idea, stating that “Jordan will never be an alternative homeland for Palestinians” and warning that such a move could destabilize both Jordan and the wider Middle East.
