Rubio says US has not discussed deportation of Palestinians to Libya
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the United States hasn’t discussed the deportation of Palestinians from Gaza to Libya, but added Washington has asked other countries in the region if they’d be open to accepting Palestinians who want to move voluntarily.
“What we have talked to some nations about is if someone voluntarily and willingly says ‘I want to go somewhere else for some period of time because I’m sick, because my children need to go to school’, or what have you, are there countries in the region willing to accept them for some period of time?”
Rubio added that he’s not aware of Libya being included in that group.
He also told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that the US understands another 100 trucks are behind the initial ones to cross into Gaza and more might enter in the coming days.
US ‘not prepared’ to pressure Israel like UK, France, Canada: Rubio
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says he expects Israel to step up the amount of aid it allows into Gaza after authorising the first trucks after more than two months.
“We anticipate that those flows will increase over the next few days and weeks. It’s important that that be achieved,” Rubio told a Senate hearing.
Dick Durbin, the number-two Democrat in the Senate, told Rubio he’s aghast at images of children in Gaza “with pencil-thin arms, with ribs you can count”. The children are “on the cusp of death because of the policy of Israel in dealing with Hamas”, Durbin said.
He pointed to criticism of Israel by the UK, which suspended free-trade negotiations and summoned Israel’s ambassador, as well as Canada and France.
“Mr Secretary, are we on the wrong side of history in watching this unfold and not responding as these three countries have?” Durbin asked Rubio.
Rubio replied: “We’re not prepared to respond the way these three countries have.”
‘Stop the genocide’: Secretary of State Rubio interrupted by protester
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a US-based Muslim rights group, has shared a video it says shows a pro-Palestine protester disrupting Marco Rubio during a hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
“‘Stop the Genocide’ protesters interrupt Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s Senate hearing,” the group said in a social media post.
'Stop the Genocide' protesters interrupt Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s Senate hearing. pic.twitter.com/22ARY5fGbh
— CAIR National (@CAIRNational) May 20, 2025
