During a trip to Israel, US Senator Marco Rubio firmly defended Israel’s Gaza initiative, declaring Hamas “must be destroyed.” The statement brings more skepticism about the fragile ceasefire, which will shift into its second phase within weeks.

Rubio met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a regional tour in which he is sure to be criticized by Arab leaders for the failed proposal of former President Donald Trump to move the Palestinian population and reconstruct Gaza under U.S. pressure.

Netanyahu plans with Trump

Netanyahu has been open to the plan, agreeing with Trump that Hamas must release all of its last remaining hostages or face harsh punishment.

The ceasefire, temporarily halting hostilities, is at a crossroads. The next move hinges on Hamas agreeing to release more hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a lasting peace, and an Israeli pullback—terms that are still on the table. Bluster from Rubio, however, suggests that U.S. and Israeli positions are still firmly fixed on Hamas’ destruction and not on diplomatic accommodation.

Gaza humanitarian crisis

Meanwhile, the Gaza humanitarian crisis continues unabated. Three Hamas-affiliated police officers were killed in an Israeli airstrike on Sunday along the Egyptian border, which was condemned by Hamas as a violation of the truce. Reviving all-out war would put any remaining hostages at risk and delay any political resolution.

Rubio’s tour of the region includes the UAE and Saudi Arabia, two of the key players in Middle Eastern diplomacy. But he will not meet with Palestinian officials, and his trip to Israel solidifies continued U.S. alignment with Netanyahu’s hardline approach.

As Arab nations prepare a counteroffer that permits Gaza to be rebuilt without mass displacement, tensions over the future of the region continue to run high.