Marco Rubio and Benjamin Netanyahu Agree Hamas Must Be Removed for Peace to Prevail
Monday marks the 500th day of the war between Israel and Hamas, instigated by Hamas when they murdered 1,200 Israelis and abducted 251 hostages on Oct. 7, 2023. Numerous reports of Hamas-perpetrated rape and sexual violence against Israelis have also been reported. A New York Times report stated that, based on eyewitness interviews, video footage, and photographs taken from the massacre, “more than 30 bodies of women and girls” were found at attack sites in Israel with signs of violent sexual abuse.
However, the true number of rape and sexual violence victims may never be known as hundreds of bodies were taken away in truckloads without being examined. The need to clear the dead from the fields superseded the time needed for abuse investigations.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met on Sunday to discuss the war.
“Hamas cannot continue as a military or government force,” Rubio stated. “And frankly, as long as it stands as a force that can govern or as a force that can administer, or as a force that can threaten by use of violence, peace becomes impossible. They must be eliminated. It must be eradicated.”
Of the 251 hostages taken, 73 remain, including three who were taken prior to Oct. 7, with 36 believed to be dead.
Hamas has released small batches of hostages over the past months in exchange for various demands.
The latest agreement between Israel and Hamas included a ceasefire deal and the release of three Israeli hostages in exchange for the release of 369 Palestinian prisoners. According to the Jerusalem Post, “notable terrorists with blood on their hands [and] who are serving life sentences” were among the Palestinians who were released.
The three released Israeli hostages included Alexander Troufanov, Iair Horn, and Sagui Dekel-Chen, an American.
Rubio on Sunday commented on the release of three Israeli hostages.
“President Trump keeps delivering on his promise to bring Americans home,” Rubio stated. “Sagui Dekel-Chen and two other hostages have been released by Hamas in Gaza after nearly 500 days of horrific captivity. I am grateful that they are back home and safe with their families. Hamas still holds 73 hostages, including New Jersey native Edan Alexander and the remains of four Americans murdered in Gaza. They must all come home now. The fact that these terrorists continue to hold hostages and even dead bodies reflects their sick depravity.”
Over 10,000 rockets have been fired from Gaza into Israel since Oct. 7, adding to increasingly high tensions in an already war-torn region.
The United States, along with various other countries, has attempted to assist in brokering a peace deal between Israel and Hamas, however, such a deal has proven tenuous thus far. While the Israeli and U.S. governments agree that Hamas must be removed from power, Hamas insists that Israeli forces leave Gaza and allow them to remain in power.
Steve Witkoff, U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, explained the difficulties in navigating a peace agreement in an interview with Fox News.
Continued negotiation “contemplates an end to the war, but it also contemplates Hamas not being involved in the government and being gone from Gaza,” Witkoff stated. “So, we’ve got to square those two things.”
For those hostages who have remained trapped in Gaza for more than a year and the families who mourn the abuse of their loved ones, the removal of Hamas from Palestine and a peace deal can’t come soon enough.
Photo Credit: ©YouTube/CBS Evening News
Vicky has written news articles on topics including human trafficking, Supreme Court rulings, politics, Christian persecution, the economy, social issues, and much more. She loves to learn and earned her bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Creative Writing from DePaul University. When she’s not tackling the current news cycle or interviewing someone for a story, you can probably find her writing poetry, taking pictures, or spending time with her husband. Vicky loves music, concerts, and all things Paris. You can find more of Vicky’s articles, scholarly papers, and even some of her poetic reflections at https://vlarias7.journoportfolio.com/
Originally published February 17, 2025.
