US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has arrived in Israel for high-level talks as Israeli forces intensify their assault on Gaza City, destroying residential buildings and forcing thousands of civilians to flee.
Rubio’s visit comes days after Israel struck Hamas officials in Qatar, an attack that has sparked global condemnation. Speaking before his departure, Rubio revealed that US President Donald Trump was displeased with the Israeli move against a key American ally.
“Obviously we’re not happy about it, the president was not happy about it. Now we need to move forward and figure out what comes next,” Rubio said at Joint Base Andrews.
While stressing that the US-Israeli relationship remains “very strong,” Rubio added that Trump’s immediate priority was securing the return of hostages held by Hamas and bringing an end to the war.
Qatar, home to a major US airbase, has denounced the Israeli strike as a “cowardly” act and a “flagrant violation of international law.” Doha will host an emergency Arab-Islamic summit on Monday to chart the next course of action.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has defended the strike, saying it targeted Hamas leaders responsible for the October 2023 attacks on Israel. Yet families of Israeli hostages accuse Netanyahu of sabotaging ceasefire efforts.
Meanwhile, the UN has warned that Israel’s planned ground offensive in Gaza City, where famine has already been declared, risks pushing civilians into a “deeper catastrophe.” Local officials say at least 30 residential buildings were destroyed in recent bombardments, while Gaza’s health ministry reported 68 deaths in a single day.
Since October 2023, more than 64,000 people have been killed in Gaza, according to Hamas-run authorities. Israel maintains its campaign targets Hamas fighters, tunnels, and weapons depots, but hundreds of thousands of civilians remain trapped in the besieged city.
