Rubio Endorses Israel's Gaza War Aims

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio fully endorsed Israel's war aims in the Gaza Strip, stating that Hamas 'must be eradicated,' which casts further doubt on the shaky ceasefire. Rubio met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump's proposal to transfer the Palestinian population out of Gaza and redevelop it under U.S. ownership. This plan faces significant pushback from Arab leaders, including Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, who are working on counterproposals and have warned against mass displacement of Palestinians. The remarks by Rubio and Netanyahu come two weeks before the first phase of the ceasefire is set to end, with the second phase, involving further hostage releases and a lasting truce, yet to be negotiated. An Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza, which killed three Hamas police officers, further complicated the ceasefire. The United States also sent a shipment of MK-84 munitions to Israel, which had been previously paused. The event highlights deep divisions over the future of Gaza and the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with significant implications for regional stability and international relations.