Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed his support for former US President Donald Trump’s proposal to remove and relocate Gaza’s population, stating that he is working to turn the plan “into a reality.”
Following a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Jerusalem on Sunday, Netanyahu said Israel and the US were cooperating on a “common strategy” for Gaza. He emphasized that he and Rubio had discussed ways to implement Trump’s vision, which includes the US assuming control of Gaza.
Rubio acknowledged that the plan had “shocked and surprised” many but praised Trump for proposing an alternative to past approaches, which he called “tired ideas.” The visit marks Rubio’s first trip to the Middle East as the US’s top diplomat. In the coming days, he is scheduled to meet with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia for potential peace talks on Ukraine, a meeting that notably excludes Ukraine and other European nations.
At a joint press conference, Netanyahu and Rubio outlined shared priorities, including dismantling Hamas’s governing capabilities, preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, and monitoring developments in Syria after the Assad era.
Netanyahu also condemned the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing it of engaging in “lawfare” against Israel. He criticized the ICC for issuing an arrest warrant against him and a former defense minister over alleged war crimes in Gaza, which Israel denies, as well as a warrant for a top Hamas commander. Netanyahu thanked the US for imposing sanctions on the ICC in response.
The Israeli leader stressed that the US and Israel were aligned on Gaza policy, warning that the “gates of hell” would open if all Israeli hostages were not released. Rubio reinforced the stance, stating that Hamas “cannot continue as a military or governmental force,” adding that as long as Hamas retains governing power or the ability to use violence, “peace becomes impossible.”
US Resumes Arms Shipments to Israel
Rubio’s visit follows the recent arrival of US-manufactured heavy bombs in Israel. Late Saturday, Israel received a shipment of MK-84 bombs after Trump lifted restrictions on their export—restrictions originally imposed by his predecessor, Joe Biden.
While Biden initially supplied thousands of MK-84s to Israel after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack, he later withheld further shipments due to concerns over their impact on Gaza. The powerful 2,000-pound bombs have a large blast radius capable of destroying entire buildings.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz described the delivery as a “significant asset” for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and a testament to the “strong alliance between Israel and the United States.”
Ceasefire Under Threat Amid Airstrikes
Meanwhile, Hamas has accused Israel of violating the ceasefire by carrying out an airstrike near Rafah in southern Gaza on Sunday, reportedly killing three police officers. Hamas called the attack a “serious violation” of the truce, which took effect on January 19 and mandates a complete pause in fighting for the first 42 days.
The IDF, however, stated that its forces had targeted “several armed individuals” in southern Gaza.
Concerns over the stability of the ceasefire had risen earlier in the week due to a dispute over a planned hostage release. The operation was nearly called off but ultimately proceeded on Saturday.
Netanyahu’s office confirmed on Sunday that an Israeli delegation would travel to Cairo on Monday to discuss the next phase of the ceasefire agreement.
