Little daylight between US, Israel evident as Rubio meets Netanyahu

Jerusalem: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Monday that Hamas must be eliminated and all hostages released for there to be peace in Gaza, setting aside calls for an interim ceasefire in favour of an immediate end to the conflict.

Rubio had come to Israel seeking answers from Netanyahu about how Israel intended to proceed in Gaza and assess interest in Qatar retaining a mediating role after Israel attacked Hamas leaders in Doha. The two said after their talks that the only way to peace is the complete destruction of Hamas and the return of all hostages, living and dead.

“As long as they’re around, there will be no peace in this region because they are not agents of peace. They are agents of barbarism,” Rubio said of Hamas. The comments came as Israel on Monday continued attacks on Gaza City, which it aims to take over, saying it’s Hamas’s last stronghold. Israel ordered the evacuation of another high-rise building, one of the tallest in Gaza City. In recent days, the Israeli military destroyed multiple high-rises, accusing Hamas of putting surveillance equipment in them.

Airstrikes overnight killed at least 12 people, including children, said health officials at Shifa Hospital, where the bodies were brought. Rubio’s visit proceeded despite US President Donald Trump’s anger at Netanyahu over the Israeli strike in Doha, which he said the United States wasn’t notified of beforehand. The Doha attack, which killed at least six people, also appears to have ended attempts to secure an Israel-Hamas ceasefire and the release of hostages. Despite comments by Trump that he wasn’t “thrilled” after Israel’s strike, there appeared to be little daylight between the US and Israel after Rubio and Netanyahu met. “Your presence here in Israel today is a clear message that America stands with Israel. You stand with us in the face of terror,” said Netanyahu.

When asked by a reporter about how the US will handle Israel’s attack in Doha, Rubio didn’t directly answer, saying the US was focused on what happens next and that it will continue to encourage Qatar to play a role in the talks.

Rubio downplayed US concerns about Israel’s latest operations in Gaza City, repeating several times that Trump is determined to see the conflict come to an end and that requires the destruction of Hamas.