Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to “open the gates of hell” if Hamas does not release all hostages still being held in Gaza. Speaking alongside US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Netanyahu said that Israel and the United States have a “common strategy” regarding Gaza and reaffirmed his government’s commitment to eliminating Hamas’ military and political presence.
“We can’t always share the details of this strategy with the public, including when the gates of hell will be opened, as they surely will if all our hostages are not released until the last one,” Netanyahu said in a joint statement with Rubio. “We will eliminate Hamas’ military capability and its political rule in Gaza. We will bring all our hostages home, and we will ensure that Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel.”
Rubio, who is on a regional tour, arrived in Jerusalem on Sunday, where he met with Netanyahu. His trip comes amid growing criticism from Arab leaders over President Donald Trump’s proposal to transfer the Palestinian population out of Gaza and redevelop the territory under US ownership.
The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas remains fragile, with the second phase of hostage-prisoner exchanges yet to be negotiated. Hamas has insisted that any deal must include a lasting truce and a withdrawal of Israeli forces, but tensions remain high.
On Sunday, an Israeli airstrike near Rafah, along the Egyptian border, killed three Hamas policemen, whom the group said were securing aid trucks. Hamas condemned the strike as a “serious violation” of the ceasefire, accusing Netanyahu of trying to sabotage the agreement.
Rubio reaffirmed US support for Israel, stating that Hamas “cannot continue as a military or government force.” He emphasised that as long as Hamas remains in power, “peace becomes impossible. It must be eradicated”.
Trump has strongly backed Israel throughout the war, lifting a weapons freeze imposed by the Biden administration and approving the delivery of MK-84 heavy bombs, which have the capability to penetrate thick concrete and metal. Speaking to reporters after attending the Daytona 500, Trump said he had told Netanyahu, “You do whatever you want. Because my statement was, they got to come back.”
The war in Gaza, which began after Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, has claimed the lives of more than 48,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry, while 251 hostages were taken into Gaza. Israel has been conducting military operations in the region for the past 15 months, with Netanyahu vowing to continue until Hamas is completely eliminated.
Beyond the situation in Gaza, Netanyahu and Rubio also discussed Iran, which Israel sees as a major regional threat. Netanyahu stated that Israel and the US stand “shoulder to shoulder” in countering Iran’s influence and preventing it from obtaining nuclear weapons.
“We agreed that the ayatollahs must not have nuclear weapons and also agreed that Iran’s aggression in the region must be rolled back,” Netanyahu said. Rubio added that Iran is behind every destabilising force in the Middle East, saying, “Behind every terrorist group, behind every act of violence, behind everything that threatens peace and stability for the millions of people that call this region home is Iran.”
Since the start of the war, Israel has been fighting on multiple fronts, including launching airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon and assassinating key Hamas and Hezbollah leaders. Netanyahu claimed that Israel has already dealt a “mighty blow” to Iran and, with Trump’s support, will “finish the job”.