Meet Israeli President, Foreign Minister Rubio Conveys US President's Commitment To Returning All Hostages

JAKARTA - Secretary of State Marco Rubio said US President Donald Trump was very committed to repatriating all hostages in the Gaza Strip when he met President Isaac Herzog.

The meeting with President Herzog was held after Foreign Minister Rubio met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar.

"On behalf of the president, I can tell you he is very and very committed to the goal that every hostage goes home, everyone, and doesn't rest, don't remain silent, don't forget, until they all go home," Foreign Minister Rubio said in his remarks ahead of a working meeting with President Herzog. February 16th.

"We are working with the government here, as you know, to make it happen, and that remains a very strong priority."

Meanwhile, President Herzog in turn expressed his gratitude to President Donald Trump for his friendship and solidarity with the Israeli people and the State of Israel, and we are grateful for his direct involvement in bringing home our hostages."

President Herzog said, amid the many challenges facing Israel, "we screamed, prayed, worked tirelessly to bring home every one of our hostages. This is our greatest hope as a country and as an individual, and I want to thank you for this effort, and that you continue this holy mission."

Foreign Minister Rubio told President Herzog the core of many threats to Israel's security was "Iran. What I mean with Iran is a regime. Radical clerics who have directed the country in the wrong direction, and have isolated it from the world, but more importantly, have created the only largest source of destabilization and sponsorship of terrorism and violence on the planet."