US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to engage in discussions regarding the Gaza ceasefire with Israel’s Prime Minister in Jerusalem, commencing a Middle East tour just a day after the recent hostage-prisoner swap.
During his inaugural visit to the region as the top diplomat for Washington, Rubio is anticipated to advocate for President Donald Trump’s widely criticized proposal to assume control of the Gaza Strip and relocate its over 2 million residents, a move experts warn could be seen as ethnic cleansing.
The proposal outlines plans to transform the coastal area into the “Riviera of the Middle East,” following over 15 months of intense bombardment by Israel.
During a recent visit to the White House, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed support for this initiative, but it has met with widespread rejection from foreign leaders.
Rubio arrived at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv shortly after Hamas released three Israeli hostages in exchange for 369 Palestinian prisoners, marking the sixth swap within the ongoing fragile ceasefire.
Talks regarding a second phase of the ceasefire, aimed at achieving a more sustainable conclusion to the conflict, are expected to commence next week in Doha.
The Biden administration has indicated a willingness to consider alternative proposals from Arab nations but maintains that, for the moment, “the only plan is Trump’s”.
Rubio is also scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, with tough discussions anticipated on Monday in Riyadh, a crucial player in Trump’s regional agenda.
“Israel will now have to decide what they will do,” Trump stated on Truth Social. “The United States will back the decision they make!”
Recently, Israel received a shipment of heavy MK-84 bombs from the United States after Trump lifted a ban on their export, previously enforced by the Biden administration, according to the defense ministry.
The MK-84 is a 2,000-pound unguided bomb capable of penetrating thick concrete and metal, generating a broad blast radius.
The Biden administration had withheld approval for this weapon due to concerns about the potential effects on densely populated areas of the Gaza Strip.
Hamas and Israel are currently implementing the first 42-day phase of the ceasefire, a process that nearly unraveled last week when Hamas threatened to pause hostages’ releases over alleged Israeli violations of the ceasefire. Israel, in turn, has accused Hamas of similar breaches.
Netanyahu credited “President Trump’s firm stance” with enabling the hostage releases to proceed.
The released hostages—Sagui Dekel-Chen, an Israeli-American; Iair Horn, an Israeli-Argentinian; and Sasha Troufanov, an Israeli-Russian—returned to emotional reunions with their families.
In return, Israel liberated 369 Palestinian prisoners, primarily those detained during the war, although some of them were serving life sentences for attacks against Israelis.
Footage shown by Israeli media depicted Palestinian prisoners wearing sweatshirts with a Star of David and the phrase: “We will not forget and we will not forgive.”
Upon arriving in Gaza, they removed these sweatshirts and set them ablaze in a bonfire at the reception area in Khan Younis.
Ibrahim, a 61-year-old released prisoner who chose not to reveal his full name, expressed shock at the extensive destruction in Gaza.
Arrested in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, he stated he remained unaware of the reasons behind his nine-month imprisonment.
Since the ceasefire commenced last month, 19 Israeli hostages have been freed in exchange for over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners.
Out of 251 individuals captured during Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which ignited the current conflict, 70 are still in Gaza, including 35 who the Israeli military claims have died.
The upcoming negotiations for the ceasefire’s second phase are anticipated to cover the release of remaining hostages as well as discussions on concluding the war.
Trump’s Gaza plan has escalated tensions in the region.
The US president has cautioned of consequences for neighboring Egypt and Jordan should they refuse to accept the displaced Palestinians from Gaza.
Diplomats report that Egypt is spearheading efforts to propose an alternative solution within weeks, centered on training a new security force and appointing local Palestinian leaders.
Rubio stated his belief that Arab nations are “working in good faith” but stressed that Hamas must not play any future role.
Agence France-Presse and Reuters contributed to this report
