By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to unleash devastating consequences on Gaza if Hamas fails to return all hostages, warning that the “gates of hell” will open if the militant group does not comply.
In a joint statement with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Netanyahu emphasized that Israel and the US have a shared strategy to tackle the Palestinian militants, and that Hamas’s military capability and political rule in Gaza will be eliminated. The Israeli Prime Minister also expressed his commitment to bringing all hostages home and ensuring that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel.
Netanyahu’s comments come as US President Donald Trump has proposed a bold and controversial plan for Gaza’s future, suggesting that the US take over the territory and transform it into a “Riviera of the Middle East”.
First priority for Trump is to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack
The plan, which involves resettling Gaza’s two million Palestinian residents in other countries, has sparked widespread outrage and criticism. Rubio, however, defended Trump’s proposal, saying that it represents a bold and courageous vision for Gaza’s future, one that breaks away from the “tired ideas of the past”.
The US Secretary of State emphasized that Hamas cannot continue to operate as a military or government force, and that it must be eradicated. He also stressed that the first priority for Trump is to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack. With tensions escalating in the region, it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold, but one thing is clear: the stakes are high, and the consequences of inaction could be devastating.