Rubio says Israel’s image is worsening due to Gaza’s genocide
(MENAFN) US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has indicated that Israel’s global reputation has suffered as a result of the ongoing genocide in Gaza, according to reports.
His remarks came after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced a temporary suspension of offensive operations in Gaza City, following an agreement between West Jerusalem and Hamas on a prisoner swap proposed last week by US President Donald Trump.
“Whether we agree with it or not, we have seen countries like the UK, Australia, Canada, and others come out and sort of signal support for – or announce support for – a Palestinian state. We have seen, even in our own domestic politics, some of the attacks on Israel,” Rubio told reports on Sunday.
“And I think that’s the point the president is making here, is that whether you believe it was justified or not, right or not, you cannot ignore the impact this has had on Israel’s global standing,” he added.
Despite Trump’s call for an immediate end to airstrikes in the Palestinian territory, Israel has continued its attacks, with the death toll since October 2023 exceeding 67,000.
Rubio expressed optimism that the strikes would cease once the prisoner swap is completed. “Once you agree on the logistics of how this is going to happen – I think the Israelis and everyone acknowledge you can’t release hostages in the middle of strikes, so the strikes will have to stop,” he said.
While Hamas has agreed to return all remaining Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, it has so far refused to disarm. At the same time, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not committed to a full withdrawal from Gaza.
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