US secretary of state: 'Finally US has a president who is firm on Israel'

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared on a news program with a grayish cross marked on his forehead, praising President Donald Trump's social media post that warned the residents of Gaza to 'RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW, OR THERE WILL BE HELL TO PAY LATER!' The forehead marking, a traditional sign of penitence displayed at the start of the Christian Lenten season, ignited discussions online, with numerous people highlighting the contradiction between its symbolism and the aggressive language that seemed to endorse widespread violence and ethnic cleansing. Rubio mentioned the condition of some of the Israeli captives who were released by Palestinian factions, who - having survived a 15-month genocidal bombing campaign carried out by Israel - appeared weak and thin. He failed, however, to highlight the dire conditions released Palestinian detainees were in after being held in Israel's jails, where many lost limbs and were left with life altering wounds and appeared emaciated.