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In the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump's ultimatum to Gaza terrorists "to release all the hostages," which expired Saturday night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Sunday morning in his office in Jerusalem with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The two later held an extended meeting, which was attended by, among others, government ministers Ron Dermer and Gideon Saar, National Security Council Chairman Tzachi Hanegbi, and Aryeh Deri.
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Benjamin Netanyahu and Marco Rubio make a joint appearance in front of reporters after their meeing
After the extended meeting, the prime minister and the U.S. secretary of state issued a joint statement. At the beginning of the statement, Netanyahu emphasized that he and U.S. President Donald Trump "are working in full coordination. We have a common strategy and we can’t always share details of this strategy with the public,” he says, “including when the gates of hell will be opened, as they surely will if all our hostages are not released, until the last one of them.”
He added that Israel is "committed to freeing all of our hostages, eliminating Hamas' military and governing capabilities, and ensuring that Gaza will never again constitute a threat to Israel."
Netanyahu also addressed the situation in Syria and Lebanon, adding: "Israel will act to prevent any threat from emerging in southwest Syria,” and said that “Israel is committed to the cease-fire and the understandings we reached in November with Lebanon, and expects the government of Lebanon to be equally committed.”
Regarding the Iranian threat, Netanyahu said: "We have made it clear that Iran must not have nuclear weapons."
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Benjamin Netanyahu nd Marco Rubio answer quesions from reporters after their private meeting
Rubio referred in his opening remarks to Trump's ultimatum to the terror groups in Gaza, which has already expired, and emphasized that Trump was very clear that the “hostages need to come home, they need to be released.”
"This is a shared goal, and we are working on it very closely," Rubio said.
Regarding the president's plan to evacuate Gaza, Rubio said that the president has also been very bold about his view of what the future of Gaza should be, says Rubio, referring to Trump’s proposal to relocate Palestinians from Gaza and have the U.S. take over the Strip.
“Not the same old tired ideas of the past,” he continues. “Something that is new, something that frankly took courage and vision in order to outline. It may have surprised and shocked many, but what cannot continue is the same cycle to repeat over and over again and wind up in the exact same place.”
Trump, Rubio says, “ “has been very clear that Hamas cannot continue as a government or military force, and frankly as long as it stands as a force that can govern, as a force that can administer, or as a force that can threaten by use of violence, peace becomes impossible.”
“It must be eradicated, it must be eliminated,” Rubio added.
Regarding the president's plan to evacuate the Strip, he added: "This vision will surprise many. It is impossible to continue on the same path over and over again.
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Rubio also noted that he also spoke with Netanyahu about the situation in Syria: "If you replace one armed force with another, that is not a positive development. We will examine this very closely."
Regarding the cease-fire in Lebanon, the U.S. secretary of state said that it is necessary to ensure that Hezbollah disarms. Regarding Iran, he added: "Iran is the greatest single force of instability in the region.” Iran is “behind every terrorist group, behind every act of violence.”
Rubio's visit to Israel will also focus on talks to continue the hostage deal, a program to encourage voluntary migration of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, the cease-fire in Lebanon, and the Iranian threat. Ahead of his visit, the State Department said Rubio would also focus on "the release of American citizens and all other hostages held by Hamas, and advancing the second phase of the Gaza cease-fire agreement."
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Benjamin Netanyahu and Marco Rubio in the prime minister's office in Jerusalem
(Photo: Koby Gideon/GPO)
Rubio, who arrived in Israel for a two-day visit, will then fly to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, where Arab countries are expected to present him with an alternative plan for the Gaza Strip, in place of the one proposed by Trump.
On Saturday night, Netanyahu held a security consultation with the participation of Defense Minister Israel Katz, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, and representatives of the negotiating team. All heads of the defense establishment support the continuation of the implementation of Phase I of the deal, including Minister Katz. He supports this position, according to which we should continue on track and remove as many hostages alive from Gaza as possible. At the same time, the senior officials say that in the event of Hamas violating the agreement, the fighting will be different and much more intense.
The latest discussions focused on trying to return the six remaining living hostages who are set to be freed during from Phase I in the coming week, and perhaps even expanding the deal to include hostages who are supposed to return in Phase II, in exchange for sending humanitarian aid during Ramadan.