Top US diplomat Marco Rubio and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented a united front on Sunday against their common enemies, threatening to “open the gates of hell” on Hamas and “finish the job” against Iran.
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The pledges came during a joint address to reporters in Jerusalem, where Rubio began his first Middle East trip as secretary of state in US President Donald Trump’s new administration.
“Hamas cannot continue as a military or a government force … they must be eliminated,” Rubio said of the Palestinian Islamist group that fought Israel for more than 15 months in Gaza until a fragile ceasefire took effect on January 19.
Standing beside Rubio, Netanyahu said the two allies had “a common strategy”, and that “the gates of hell will be opened” if all hostages still held by militants in Gaza are not freed.
The comments came a day after Hamas freed three Israeli hostages in exchange for 369 Palestinian prisoners – the sixth such swap under the ceasefire deal, which the United States helped mediate along with Qatar and Egypt.
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Netanyahu’s comment echoed one made by Trump ahead of Saturday’s swap. Trump had said “all hell” would break loose and that he would call for the truce deal’s cancellation if the hostages were not freed on Saturday.
Israel and Hamas have traded accusations of ceasefire violations.