U.S. Secretary of State and Israeli Prime Minister Meet in Jerusalem

Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Sunday. This meeting took place a day after the exchange of three Israeli hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip for 369 Palestinian prisoners. This is Rubio's first trip to the Middle East since taking office as Secretary of State. Reports indicate that during this trip, the U.S. Secretary of State discussed Donald Trump's proposal to control the Gaza Strip and relocate its residents to Egypt and Jordan. Previously, Netanyahu had expressed gratitude for Trump's full support regarding Israel's future decisions about Gaza. Trump also stated on the social media platform 'Truth Social': 'Now it is Israel that must decide what it wants to do. The United States will support any decision they make.' Rubio arrived in Tel Aviv on Saturday night, the same day the sixth exchange of hostages and prisoners occurred since the ceasefire began. In this exchange, 'Sasha Troponov', 29, a Russian-Israeli national, 'Yair Horn', 46, an Argentine-Israeli, and 'Sagi Dekel-Chen', 36, an Israeli-American, were freed after 498 days of captivity in Khan Younis, located in southern Gaza. Reports indicate that these individuals were in better physical condition compared to three hostages released a week earlier, who had been severely emaciated. Marco Rubio, who was in Munich prior to his trip to Israel, emphasized the importance of close coordination to address the destabilizing behavior of the Islamic Republic, particularly their nuclear non-compliance, during a meeting with European officials on Saturday, February 17. Members of the 'Group of 7', including Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, condemned the destabilizing actions of the Islamic Republic in a statement made during the Munich Security Conference. After the exchange of prisoners and hostages, Rubio stated: 'Without Trump, there would have been no prospect for an end to the war between Russia and Ukraine.' Trump also stated: 'We support any decision Israel makes regarding the deadline for the release of all hostages.' Two groups supported by the Islamic Republic prepared for the release of three Israeli hostages. Arab countries' plan for Gaza includes reconstruction without displacement, ensuring security. Reports reveal the conditions of hostages held by Hamas, including forced labor for women and torture of men.