Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US top diplomat Marco Rubio in Jerusalem, Sunday, 16 February 2025. Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg/AP
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday, 16 February, that if Hamas does not release all Israeli hostages, Israel will “open the gates of hell” in the Gaza Strip. He said this during a joint press conference with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, AFP reports.
“We have a common strategy with the US, and we cannot always disclose its details. But one thing is clear: if all our hostages are not released, there is no doubt that the gates of hell will open,” Netanyahu said.
The Israeli prime minister also thanked US President Donald Trump for helping to free three hostages from Gaza last Saturday. He also expressed gratitude to Marco Rubio for his “unequivocal support for Israel’s policy in Gaza,” The Times of Israel reports.
Trump’s plan for Gaza sparks global outcry
Netanyahu also said that during his meeting with Rubio, they discussed Donald Trump’s “bold vision” for the future of Gaza.
Earlier, the US president proposed turning the Gaza Strip into a “Riviera of the Middle East” by resettling two million Palestinians to other countries, including Egypt and Jordan. This proposal caused international outrage, particularly in the Arab world.
Marco Rubio acknowledged that Trump’s idea surprised and shocked many, but stressed that the US president is committed to radical changes that will help end the conflict.
“We can no longer repeat the same decisions that lead to new cycles of violence,” Rubio said. According to him, the complete destruction of Hamas is the only way to a stable future in the region.
