Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday alongside US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that he and US President Donald Trump “are working in full cooperation and coordination” on Gaza and added that “the gates of hell will be open” if all hostages not freed.
“We have a common strategy and we can’t always share details of this strategy with the public,” Netanyahu said, “including when the gates of hell will be open, as they surely will if all our hostages are not released, until the last one of them.”
These remarks followed Netanyahu’s meeting with Rubio in Jerusalem.
Trump had previously indicated that if Hamas did not release all hostages by Saturday noon, the ceasefire should end and “let hell break out.”
On Saturday, Hamas released three male hostages as per the agreement, following their earlier announcement of suspending releases, Times of Israel reported.
Netanyahu held a security cabinet meeting on Saturday evening to evaluate the situation, though no specific decisions were announced.
The situation became unclear after Trump’s statements, with varying Israeli positions regarding the resumption of hostilities and hostage releases. The focus shifted to nine known living captives yet to be freed under the current phase.
On Saturday, Trump posted on TruthSocial that Israel must decide its response to the missed deadline for releasing all hostages, affirming US support for Israel’s decision.
Netanyahu, speaking with Rubio, reaffirmed Israel’s objectives: defeating Hamas, recovering all hostages, and ensuring Gaza poses no future threat to Israel. He acknowledged America’s support as crucial for achieving these aims.
Israel and Hamas are executing the initial 42-day ceasefire phase, whilst discussions for the subsequent phase remain pending. Israel has not dispatched authorised negotiators, despite this being a requirement of the agreement.
The subsequent phase is anticipated to address the liberation of remaining captives and explore possibilities for a lasting peace settlement.
During their meeting, Rubio and Netanyahu addressed Trump’s contentious proposals for Gaza’s future. During Netanyahu’s recent White House visit and afterwards, Trump has advocated for the permanent displacement of Gaza’s population and American-led reconstruction of the region.
Whilst certain American officials have attempted to characterise the proposal as temporary relocation, Trump has maintained his original stance.
Netanyahu reported discussing Trump’s “bold vision for Gaza, for Gaza’s future, and how we can work together to ensure that future becomes a reality” with Rubio.
Rubio endorsed the proposal, describing it as “something that is new, something that frankly took courage and vision in order to outline. It may have surprised and shocked many, but what cannot continue is the same cycle to repeat over and over again and wind up in the exact same place.”
Beyond Herzog, Rubio’s Sunday schedule included meetings with hostages’ families, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, and Opposition Leader Yair Lapid.
Netanyahu emphasised Iran as the most crucial topic of Sunday’s discussions.
“Israel and America stand shoulder to shoulder in countering the threat of Iran,” he stated alongside Rubio. “We agree that the ayatollahs must not be allowed to have nuclear weapons. We also agreed that Iran’s aggression in the region has to be rolled back.”
He highlighted Israeli military actions’ success in diminishing Iranian influence regionally. Netanyahu stated that with Trump’s backing, “we can and will finish the job.”
