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Published Sep 13, 2025 • Last up to date 14 minutes in the past • 4 minute learn
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JERUSALEM — Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned eliminating Hamas leaders would finish the battle in Gaza, as high U.S. diplomat Marco Rubio mentioned hours forward of his go to to Israel that its strike in opposition to Hamas in Qatar wouldn’t derail their alliance.
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“The Hamas terrorists chiefs dwelling in Qatar don’t care in regards to the folks in Gaza. They blocked all ceasefire makes an attempt with a purpose to endlessly drag out the battle,” Netanyahu mentioned on X.
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“Getting rid of them would rid the primary impediment to releasing all our hostages and ending the battle.”
His feedback got here shortly after Rubio informed reporters that whereas President Donald Trump was “not glad” in regards to the Qatar strike, their alliance can be unaffected.
“It’s not going to vary the character of our relationship with the Israelis, however we’re going to have to speak about it — primarily, what impression does this have” on the diplomatic efforts to convey a couple of truce in Gaza, Rubio added.
The speak of a ceasefire, nonetheless out of attain after months of failed negotiations, got here with Israel intensifying its marketing campaign within the Gaza Strip.
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In latest days it has ramped up efforts to grab management of Gaza City, the territory’s largest city space, telling residents to evacuate and blowing up quite a few high-rise buildings it mentioned had been being utilized by Hamas.
While 1000’s of individuals have evacuated the town, in keeping with the Israeli army and Hamas, many extra stay.
As of late August, the UN estimated that round a million folks had been dwelling within the metropolis and its surrounding areas, the place it has declared a famine it blamed on Israeli support restrictions.
Bakri Diab, who fled western Gaza City for the south, mentioned Israeli strikes continued there as effectively.
“Bombing occurs right here too — the south isn’t secure both,” mentioned the 35-year-old father of 4.
“All the occupation has carried out is pressure folks to crowd into locations with no primary companies and no security.”
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Gaza’s civil defence company mentioned 32 folks had been killed by Israeli hearth on Saturday.
Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas imply AFP is unable to independently confirm the small print supplied by the civil defence company or the Israeli army.
‘One impediment’
Netanyahu and his authorities have defied worldwide criticism all through the practically two-year battle, however it continued to mount this week.
On Friday, the UN General Assembly voted to again a revival of the two-state answer, in open defiance of Israeli opposition.
Israeli allies Britain and France, alongside a number of different Western nations, are set to recognise Palestinian statehood at a UN gathering this month out of exasperation at Israel’s conduct of the Gaza battle and within the occupied West Bank.
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London and Paris, joined by Berlin, additionally referred to as for a right away halt to Israel’s offensive in Gaza City.
Nevertheless, Israel retains the backing of its strongest ally and largest arms provider, the United States.
Ahead of Rubio’s go to, State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott mentioned the diplomatic chief would present “our dedication to battle anti-Israel actions together with unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state that rewards Hamas terrorism.”
“He may even emphasise our shared targets: making certain Hamas by no means guidelines over Gaza once more and bringing all of the hostages dwelling.”
At dwelling, opponents of the Netanyahu authorities have sought to place stress on ministers to finish the battle in return for the discharge of Israeli hostages held in Gaza.
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On Saturday, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, the primary marketing campaign group, accused the Israeli premier of being the “one impediment” to releasing the hostages and accused him of repeatedly sabotaging ceasefire efforts.
Of the 251 folks taken hostage by Palestinian militants in October 2023, 47 stay in Gaza, together with 25 the army says are useless.
‘Alarming passivity’
Brian Katulis, a senior fellow on the Middle East Institute, mentioned Rubio was unlikely to push Israel towards a ceasefire.
“There is an alarming passivity in really attending to a ceasefire in Gaza,” mentioned Katulis, who labored on Middle East coverage below former president Bill Clinton.
“The administration appears to be listening extra to its personal base of Huckabees and different evangelical Christians allied with right-wing Israelis,” he mentioned, referring to the U.S. Ambassador in Jerusalem, Mike Huckabee, a Baptist pastor.
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“Their views are removed from the mainstream of Arab states,” Katulis mentioned, regardless of Trump pursuing a Saudi-Israeli diplomatic normalisation deal.
In Jerusalem, Rubio will go to the Western Wall with Netanyahu on Sunday, in keeping with the Israeli prime minister’s workplace.
The battle was sparked by Hamas’s October 2023 assault on Israel which resulted within the deaths of 1,219 folks, principally civilians, in keeping with an AFP tally of official figures.
Israel’s retaliatory marketing campaign in Gaza has killed a minimum of 64,803 folks, additionally principally civilians, in keeping with the well being ministry within the Hamas-territory.
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