From the Liveblog of
Thursday, February 13, 2025
Rubio indicates that an IDF return to fighting wouldn’t solve problem of Hamas
Jacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
After appearing earlier this week to back an Israeli return to fighting in Gaza, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicates that this might not solve the threat posed by Hamas.
Rubio discusses Trump’s proposal for the US to take over Gaza and relocate the Strip’s entire population during an interview on the radio show of conservative hosts Clay Travis and Buck Sexton.
He reiterates that the US is willing to consider alternative plans from its Arab allies, but “any plan that leaves Hamas there is going to be a problem because Israel is not going to tolerate it.”
“We’re going to give [Arab allies] a chance to come up with a plan… and not just to pay for it because… someone’s going to have to go on the ground. Hamas has weapons,” Rubio continues.
“Someone has to confront those guys. Who’s that going to be? It’s not going to be American soldiers. If the countries in the region can’t figure that piece out, then Israel is going to have to do it, and then we’re back to where we’ve been,” the secretary of state says. “So that doesn’t solve the problem.”
This is the first time a Trump official has made such an acknowledgment, though it’s unclear whether it is a policy stance, if Rubio was speaking off the cuff, or if he was speaking on behalf of US President Donald Trump, who appeared to give Israel a green light to return to fighting when he warned earlier this week of hell breaking loose if the hostages aren’t all released by Saturday at noon.
“They don’t like it, but the only plan right now is the Trump plan. If they’ve got a better plan, now’s the time to present it. So we’re looking forward to that,” Rubio adds.
