India, Sept. 16 -- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday backed Israel's new offensive on Gaza City and the goal of eradicating Hamas, casting doubt on whether diplomacy would work to end nearly two years of war. "The people of Gaza deserve a better future, but that better future cannot begin until Hamas is eliminated," Rubio told reporters at a joint press conference with Netanyahu. He called Hamas, whose unprecedented October 7, 2023 attack on Israel triggered the massive military response, "barbaric animals." P12...