This came according to what the Hebrew newspaper Maariv reported on Saturday, noting that the meeting took place on Friday, without specifying its location, and is the first with Rubio since he assumed office in January 2025.
Rubio, whose country continues to offer unwavering support to Tel Aviv, emphasized that "true victory in Gaza will only be achieved when all the kidnapped Israelis return to their homes," reiterating the Trump administration's commitment to working to release all Israeli prisoners in Gaza.
The families of the detainees emphasized that "there is a crucial opportunity to reach a comprehensive agreement," calling for "courageous decisions to end the prisoners' suffering and return them all at once," in light of what they considered the Israeli government's procrastination and the prioritization of political interests over the humanitarian issue.
Concurrently with this stance, a new poll conducted by the Lazer Research Institute for the Maariv newspaper revealed that 59% of Israelis support a ceasefire in exchange for the return of the detainees, while 48% believe Netanyahu is continuing the war in Gaza for "political motives," not just security reasons.
The poll, conducted on June 25 and 26 among a sample of 501 Israelis, had a margin of error of 4.4%. It also showed that 81% of opposition voters support an "immediate deal" to release the detainees, compared to 64% of ruling coalition voters who prefer continuing military operations.
The poll also revealed a sharp division in the assessment of the motives for continuing the war. 81% of coalition supporters believe its continuation is due to security needs, while 75% of opposition voters believe Netanyahu is prolonging the fighting for political reasons to remain in power and prevent the fall of his government.
Israel estimates the number of its detainees in Gaza at around 50, including 20 who are still alive. Meanwhile, more than 10,400 Palestinians are languishing in Israeli prisons, amid human rights allegations of torture and neglect, which have led to the deaths of several of them.
Hamas has repeatedly declared its willingness to release all Israeli prisoners in one batch in exchange for an end to the aggression on Gaza, the withdrawal of the Israeli occupation army, and the release of Palestinian prisoners. However, the Netanyahu government continues to propose new conditions, including the disarmament of the factions.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel, with American support, has been committing genocide in Gaza, including killing, starvation, destruction, and displacement, ignoring international calls and orders from the International Court of Justice to halt it.
The genocide left approximately 189,000 Palestinians dead or wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 11,000 missing, in addition to hundreds of thousands displaced.
