Rubio arrives in “Israel” on first Middle East tour

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in “Israel” late Saturday on the first leg of a Middle East tour, an AFP journalist reported.

Rubio landed at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv and is due to hold talks with “Israeli” officials on Sunday when he will highlight President Donald Trump's controversial proposal to take control of the Gaza Strip, which has been devastated by more than 15 months of war waged by “Israel”.

Read more: Netanyahu says appreciates Trump’s full support on Gaza

Coming from Munich, where he took part in a security conference dominated by the Ukraine war, the top US diplomat is set to meet with “Israeli” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Sunday.

Netanyahu, who recently visited Washington where he met Donald Trump, expressed his appreciation for the US president's "full support" for “Israel's” next moves in Gaza.

"Israel will now have to decide what they will do," Trump posted on Truth Social on Saturday.

"The United States will back the decision they make!" he added.

Rubio arrived in “Israel” hours after Hamas freed three “Israeli” captives in Gaza in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in the sixth swap of a nearly month-old ceasefire.

The ceasefire came close to collapse earlier this week and Netanyahu credited "President Trump's firm stance" with ensuring Saturday's releases went ahead.

In his meetings, the US top diplomat is expected to discuss the second phase of the ceasefire, which should see the release of remaining captives and a more permanent end to the war but which has yet to be agreed in detail.

A source close to the negotiations said mediators hope to begin talks on the second phase "next week in Doha."

Washington has expressed openness to alternative proposals from Arab governments but has stressed that currently, "the only plan is Trump's."

Trump has proposed taking control of Gaza and displacing its residents to Egypt or Jordan, both of which strongly oppose the proposal.

Rubio is due to fly on from “Israel” to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

His talks in Saudi Arabia on Monday are expected to be particularly tough, with Riyadh expected to play a key role in Trump's regional plans.