US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in an interview with Larry Kudlow on Fox Business on Wednesday, delivered a clear message regarding the path forward in Gaza, stressing the fundamental necessity of disarming and disbanding the Hamas terrorist organization to ensure long-term peace.
When asked by Kudlow about the possibility of Israel engaging in a full military takeover of Gaza, Secretary Rubio reaffirmed the US position that Israel's security decisions are its own.
"Ultimately the President has said that it's up to Israel to decide what they need to do for their own security," Rubio stated. He confirmed his frequent, almost daily contact with Israeli officials, "often to the Prime Minister, but many times to many members of his team."
Rubio articulated three interconnected problems in the region, noting that while all are critical, the focus of global attention has been disproportionately on a single issue.
"The first is there is a humanitarian problem that needs to be addressed," he said, adding that "we're working very hard to figure out ways to address it in ways that doesn't benefit Hamas."
He quickly pivoted to what he sees as the two neglected issues. "The second is that there are 20 innocent human beings that are being held hostage in horrifying conditions, and the third is that as long as Hamas exists, there will not be peace."
The Secretary expressed concern that the plight of the hostages and the threat posed by Hamas are being overlooked. He stated, "There's a lot of attention being paid to the humanitarian... but not enough attention being paid to the fact that 20 people that had nothing to do with this are being held hostage in tunnels on the verge of death, and no real talk about how Hamas needs to be disarmed and disbanded."
Emphasizing the US position, Rubio stressed that true peace is impossible with Hamas still in power. "There cannot be a permanent peace. [The war] will restart again if Hamas remains," he warned. He pointed out that this is not a position held solely by the US and Israel, but one that is shared by others in the region.
"Even the Arab League says it. As long as Hamas exists as an armed group in Gaza, there will not be a peace. There will not be a peaceful future because it's going to happen again, and this can never happen again."
Secretary Rubio concluded by reiterating the US commitment to the full release of all hostages and the total eradication of Hamas as a military and governing force. "We have to focus more on those two things," he insisted, "Those other two cannot be forgotten."