Senator Marco Rubio delivered a forceful condemnation of Hamas during his Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday, as he seeks to become Secretary of State under President-elect Donald Trump. Rubio’s comments underscored his intent to take a hardline approach against the terrorist group, which he described as a major obstacle to peace and stability in the Middle East. “Hamas sent a bunch of savages into Israel with the express and explicit purpose of targeting civilians,” Rubio said, referencing the Oct. 7 massacre. “How can any nation state on the planet coexist side-by-side with a group of savages like Hamas?” Rubio stated unequivocally that Hamas could not continue to govern Gaza, pointing to the group’s stated goal of Israel’s destruction. “You can’t turn it over to people who seek your destruction,” he said, stressing that any resolution for the territory must ensure Hamas is no longer in power. In addition to addressing Hamas’ influence in Gaza, Rubio called for strict measures to prevent supporters of the group from entering or remaining in the United States. “If you can not come in because you’re a supporter of Hamas, you should not be able to stay on a visa if you’re a supporter of Hamas,” Rubio sad. “I think that’s just an issue of common sense, and we intend to be very forceful about that.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)