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Israeli bombing must stop for release of captives: Rubio
Israel needs to stop bombing Gaza for an eventual captive release by Hamas to take place, according to the US secretary of state.
“I think the Israelis and everyone acknowledge you can’t release hostages in the middle of strikes, so the strikes will have to stop,” Rubio told CBS News. “There can’t be a war going on in the middle of it.”
As we reported earlier, Rubio also said the war has not yet ended despite the steps taken in recent days after the announcement of Trump’s Gaza plan.
Netanyahu appeasing Trump while seeking ways to undermine plan
We have more from Menachem Klein, political science professor at Bar-Ilan University, who says that while the Israeli prime minister has no choice but to appease Trump and show he is willing to reach a truce, he will try to stop the deal.
“Trump is interested in reaching a deal. Hamas also has no choice but to agree. And I assume that Netanyahu also has no choice, … but he will continue trying to spoil the deal,” Klein told Al Jazeera.
He explained that Trump’s 20-point plan has several loopholes Netanyahu could use to abandon it.
“Netanyahu is trying to cheat everyone while remaining in power as long as he can, but he needs Trump: Israel cannot exist without the United States. He cannot stay in power without Trump’s support. He cannot plan the next war against Iran without the United States. So he must follow Trump,” Klein added.
Trump ‘a president who wants the war to end’
He’s determined to have the war end. Clearly, there are questions about long-term Israeli occupation, viceroy Tony Blair – but even in [his] comments, certainly Rubio is suggesting that those are up for some sort of negotiation.
In the meantime, the White House is leaking all sorts of stories potentially designed to embarrass Benjamin Netanyahu and to make clear that it’s not Netanyahu who’s in charge of this – it’s Donald Trump. “Donald Trump is in charge of this, and Netanyahu will do what Donald Trump says.”
So far Netanyahu is still doing whatever he wants, bombing did not stop despite Trump claiming it did...
Trump suggests ‘some changes’ to Gaza plan possible
The US president is asked by a reporter outside the White House if there is any flexibility on his 20-point Gaza plan.
“We don’t need flexibility because everybody has pretty much agreed to it. But there’ll always be some changes,” Trump replied.
“But the Hamas plan, I’ll tell you – it’s amazing.”
He added: “They’ve been fighting for a plan for years. We get the hostages back almost immediately. Negotiations are going on right now, will probably take a couple of days, and people are very happy about it.”
That doesn't sound encouraging at all.
