Hamas ‘must be eradicated’, says Marco Rubio, casting fresh doubt on fragile ceasefire

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands during a news conference in Jerusalem, Israel (Ohad Zwigenberg/pool/AP)

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has fully endorsed Israel’s war aims in the Gaza Strip, saying Hamas “must be eradicated” and throwing the future of the shaky ceasefire into further doubt.

He met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Sunday at the start of a regional tour, where he is likely to face pushback from Arab leaders over President Donald Trump’s proposal to transfer the Palestinian population out of Gaza and redevelop it under US ownership.