Rubio: Trump demands all 48 hostages freed at once, Hamas must fall

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reiterated Washington’s strong ties with Israel while underscoring President Donald Trump’s priority of securing the immediate release of all 48 hostages held by Hamas.

Speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews on Saturday, Rubio said the administration wanted the conflict to end decisively, with Hamas dismantled and the hostages, living and deceased, returned “all at once, not piecemeal.”

“The U.S.–Israeli relationship is very strong; it continues to be strong,” Rubio told the press, adding that “The President wants this conflict to end. He wants all the hostages out, and he wants Hamas defeated so we can move on to rebuilding Gaza.”

Pressed on Washington’s influence, Rubio rejected the term “leverage” but said U.S.–Israel cooperation provided room for influence.

He confirmed discussions with Israeli leaders would focus on how last week’s controversial operations, criticised by Trump, may affect hostage negotiations and broader war aims.

Rubio also addressed claims by the Taliban that the U.S. had agreed to a prisoner swap, clarifying that any such decision rested solely with the President.

He confirmed the special envoy for the unlawfully detained had been exploring possible arrangements but insisted no deal was yet concluded.

On questions regarding potential Israeli strikes in Qatar, Rubio said the U.S. was seeking clarity on Israel’s forward plans while reaffirming that differences would not weaken bilateral ties.

“Sometimes things come up that we’re not 100 percent aligned on, but it’s not going to change the nature of our relationship,” he said.

The Secretary also fielded questions on wider regional dynamics, including Qatar’s upcoming talks with Gulf allies, Israeli settlement expansions, and NATO’s response to a recent Russian drone incursion into Poland. He described the drone incident as “dangerous” and said the U.S. and allies were still assessing whether Poland was deliberately targeted.

In a personal moment, Rubio confirmed he would attend funeral services for conservative activist Charlie Kirk, describing him as “a great young man” who fostered respectful debate across ideological divides.

“It’s tragic and ironic that one of the few voices engaged in dialogue was silenced in such a way,” he said.