• Israeli PM Netanyahu vows to “open the gates of hell” if Hamas doesn’t release all hostages.
• U.S. Secretary of State Rubio supports Netanyahu’s plan to dismantle Hamas in Gaza.
• President Trump backs Netanyahu’s hardline approach, suggesting evacuation of Gaza.
• The plan is widely condemned as “tantamount to ethnic cleansing” by the UN and Arab leaders.
• Hamas accuses Israel of sabotaging the ceasefire with an airstrike, increasing tensions amid fragile negotiations.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Sunday that Israel would “open the gates of hell” against Hamas if the militant group fails to release all remaining hostages held in Gaza.

The warning came during a high-profile meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Jerusalem, where the two leaders emphasized a “common strategy” to dismantle Hamas and secure the hostages’ freedom. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump added fuel to the fire, telling Netanyahu to “do whatever you want” to resolve the crisis, a move critics argue could further destabilize the region and exacerbate the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.

Netanyahu and Rubio’s joint statement outlined their commitment to eradicating Hamas’ military and political influence in Gaza. “We will eliminate Hamas’ military capability and its political rule in Gaza. We will bring all our hostages home, and we will ensure that Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel,” they said. The Israeli leader stressed that the release of all hostages, including the remains of those who have died in captivity, remains the top priority.

Rubio, on his first regional tour as secretary of state, echoed Netanyahu’s resolve, stating that Hamas “cannot continue as a military or government force.” He added, “As long as it stands as a force that can govern or as a force that can threaten by use of violence, peace becomes impossible. It must be eradicated.” The comments come as the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas teeters on the brink of collapse, with the second phase of negotiations—aimed at freeing dozens of remaining hostages—yet to begin.

Trump’s controversial vision for Gaza

The meeting also highlighted the controversial role of President Trump, who has thrown his weight behind Netanyahu’s hardline approach. Trump told reporters Sunday that he had instructed Netanyahu to “do whatever you want” if Hamas fails to comply with demands.

“My statement was they’ve got to come back,” Trump said, referring to the hostages. “Now, the reason I made that statement was because they said they were not going to deliver … the people that they said they were going to deliver, that they agreed to deliver.”

Trump’s support extends to his radical proposal to evacuate over 2 million Palestinians from Gaza, redevelop the territory under U.S. control, and eventually allow residents to return. The plan, which Netanyahu has praised as “bold” and “visionary,” has been widely condemned by Arab leaders and human rights organizations, with the United Nations describing it as “tantamount to ethnic cleansing.” Egypt and Jordan, key U.S. allies in the region, have rejected the proposal outright, refusing to accept an influx of Palestinian refugees.

While Netanyahu and Rubio framed their strategy as a necessary step toward peace, critics argue that Israel’s actions risk further inflaming tensions and perpetuating the cycle of violence. The 15-month war in Gaza has already left much of the territory in ruins, with over 48,000 Palestinians killed, according to Hamas-run health authorities. Resuming hostilities could not only endanger the remaining hostages but also deepen the humanitarian crisis, with little guarantee of achieving Israel’s stated objectives.

Hamas, for its part, has accused Netanyahu of sabotaging the ceasefire, pointing to an Israeli airstrike Sunday that killed three of its policemen near the Egyptian border. The group called the attack a “serious violation” of the truce and warned that such actions undermine efforts to secure the hostages’ release.

A path forward or a dead end?

As the region braces for the next phase of negotiations, the stakes are high. Netanyahu and Rubio’s rhetoric suggests a willingness to escalate the conflict if Hamas fails to comply, while Trump’s endorsement of Netanyahu’s actions raises questions about the U.S.’s role in the crisis. Israel’s approach risks further alienating the international community and perpetuating the cycle of violence that has plagued the region for decades.

 

 

Sources for this article include:

NYPost.com

CBSNews.com

NYPost.com