Will Rubio's Visit Reinforce US Support for Israel and Call for Hamas' Elimination?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Marco Rubio reaffirmed US support for Israel during his visit.
- Calls for Hamas' elimination were central to his message.
- The Israeli military has intensified operations in Gaza City.
- Rubio criticized Western nations for recognizing a Palestinian state.
- About 300,000 individuals have evacuated Gaza City.
Jerusalem, Sep 15 (NationPress) US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during his visit to Israel on Monday, pledged Washington's steadfast support for Israel in its operations in Gaza and called for the elimination of Hamas.
"The inhabitants of Gaza deserve a brighter future, but that future cannot commence until Hamas is eradicated," Rubio stated during a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem.
"You can rely on our steadfast support and commitment to see it realized," he added.
Netanyahu praised Rubio's visit as a clear indication of Washington's backing for Israel, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
Rubio criticized various Western nations for their attempts to recognize a Palestinian state, describing such actions as largely symbolic and only serving to embolden Hamas. "These measures have no real effect on advancing us toward a Palestinian state. Instead, they merely strengthen Hamas," he remarked.
Prior to their meeting, Rubio mentioned that discussions with Netanyahu would cover Israel's goals and objectives regarding its military actions in Gaza.
When questioned about the anger from Gulf nations regarding last Tuesday's Israeli airstrike in Doha, which resulted in the deaths of six people, including a Qatari security officer, Rubio stated: "We are concentrating on what comes next." The airstrike, aimed at a Hamas negotiation team involved in Gaza truce discussions, reportedly missed its targets.
Rubio's visit coincided with Israel's ongoing assault on Gaza City, executing strikes and hitting another high-rise building on Monday after demolishing many in recent days, while the military was preparing to escalate the offensive with a larger ground operation.
Approximately 300,000 individuals have evacuated Gaza City as Israel heightened its strikes, reported Israel's Army Radio on Sunday, citing security officials.
The Israeli military confirmed it had targeted two high-rise buildings, asserting that Hamas utilized them for intelligence gathering and surveillance.
Israel intends to seize control of Gaza City as part of its stated objectives to dismantle Hamas and secure the release of nearly 50 hostages held by the group.