Marco Rubio meets with Israeli leaders during Middle East trip

(NBC, KYMA) - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Israeli leaders Monday on his trip to the Middle East.

Secretary Rubio held a joint press conference with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem.

"We stand in a time of immense challenges, the aggression of Iran and its terrorist proxies. Those who chant 'Death to America, death to Israel' they are not chanting it by accident, because they see Israel as the front line of American civilization here in the Middle East, while those chants and those threats still linger, but they're a lot less dangerous now, and they're a lot less dangerous because they were met with our common resolve."

Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel

Prime Minister Netanyahu thanked the U.S. for its support of Israel in the war against Hamas, specifically praising President Donald Trump for his "bold actions" and personal friendship.

"The president has shown consistent leadership, more clarity and bold actions that have strengthened the alliance between our nations as never before. The American Israeli Alliance has never been as strong as it is now," Netanyahu expressed.

Rubio repeated the Trump Administration's goals to end the conflict, calling for the elimination of Hamas and the return of Israeli hostages.

"Hamas can no longer continue to exist as an armed element that threatens the peace and security, not just of Israel but of the world, and that the people of Gaza deserve a better future, one that cannot begin until Hamas is eliminated and until all of the hostages, both living and deceased, are home," Rubio said.

He also expressed hope Qatar will continue to play a role in the peace process after last week's Israeli strike against Hamas on the key U.S. ally's territory.

"We're focused, because at the end of the day, no matter what has happened, these fundamentals still remain. There is still a Hamas, there are still 48 hostages, and there is still a war going on, and all these things standing in the way of a better future for the people of Gaza and a peaceful end to what's happening now. So we're going to remain focused on what we can do next."

Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of State

Rubio also met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who reiterated Netanyahu's gratefulness for the support of the U.S. and President Trump.