By AFP

Copyright brecorder

JERUSALEM: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that Washington was steadfast in its support for its ally Israel’s pursuit of the Gaza war and called for the eradication of Hamas.

“The people of Gaza deserve a better future, but that better future cannot begin until Hamas is eliminated,” Rubio told reporters at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem.

“You can count on our unwavering support,” he said.

Netanyahu said Rubio’s visit was a “clear message” the United States stood with Israel and praised President Donald Trump for his backing, calling him the “greatest friend that Israel has ever had”.

Rubio criticised plans by Western nations to recognise a Palestinian state, saying they “emboldened” Hamas. “They’re largely symbolic… the only impact they actually have is it makes Hamas feel more emboldened,” he said.

Rubio had said he would discuss with Netanyahu Israeli plans to seize Gaza City, the territory’s largest urban centre, as well as the government’s talk of annexing parts of the occupied West Bank in hopes of precluding a Palestinian state.

He had also said Trump wanted the Gaza war to be “finished with” — which would mean the release of hostages and ensuring Hamas is “no longer a threat”.

But talks were made more difficult last week when the Trump administration was caught off guard by an Israeli attack in Qatar against Hamas leaders.

“We sent a message to terrorists: you can run but you cannot hide,” Netanyahu said.

The “raid didn’t fail.”

Rubio said Washington would continue to tell Qatar to continue its “constructive role” as an intermediary in the Gaza war.

A US official later said Rubio will travel on Tuesday to Qatar, where Arab and Muslim leaders gathered Monday to pile pressure on Israel after the attack.

Qatar’s emir said at the summit that Israel had sought to derail truce talks, which Doha along with Egypt and the United States have sought to broker between Israel and Hamas.

“Whoever works diligently and systematically to assassinate the party with whom he is negotiating, intends to thwart the negotiations… Negotiations, for them, are merely part of the war,” Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said.

In Gaza, Israeli strikes killed another 25 people Monday, all but one in Gaza City, Gaza civil defence agency reported.