US Secretary of State Marco Rubio Pledges “Unwavering Support” to Israel, Calls for Hamas’s Elimination and Hostages’ Release

JERUSALEM, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday declared Washington’s “unwavering support” for Israel’s objectives in Gaza after meeting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying the United States backed efforts to ensure Hamas “is no longer a threat” and pressing for the release of all Israeli hostages.

Speaking at a joint news conference, Rubio said President Donald Trump wanted the Gaza war to be “finished with,” a formulation he tied to two outcomes: the safe return of hostages and the removal of Hamas as an operational danger. Rubio and Netanyahu presented a united front, downplaying recent diplomatic tensions stemming from an Israeli strike in Doha that complicated ceasefire negotiations.

Netanyahu thanked the United States for its backing and echoed Rubio’s insistence that dismantling Hamas was central to any lasting end to the conflict. Both leaders set aside calls for an interim ceasefire, asserting that only the elimination of Hamas and the liberation of hostages could bring a permanent conclusion to the fighting.

Rubio said he would travel next to Qatar in an effort to mend frayed ties after the Doha strike and to advance talks aimed at securing hostages’ release — underscoring Washington’s role as a mediator even as it reiterates firm support for Israel’s security goals. Observers say the visit highlights the narrow diplomatic space for pushing a ceasefire while Washington openly backs Israel’s maximal pressure on Hamas.

The joint appearance quickly drew international attention and criticism from parties calling for an immediate ceasefire and for stronger measures to protect civilians in Gaza, where intensive fighting and airstrikes have produced a severe humanitarian crisis. Analysts warn that a policy focused solely on Hamas’s elimination without parallel steps to address civilian suffering and political grievances risks prolonging instability in the region.