Top U.S. diplomat Marco Rubio began a visit to Israel on Sunday, reaffirming the Trump administration’s unwavering support for its ally in the ongoing conflict with Hamas. This visit follows a controversial strike in Qatar that has drawn widespread criticism of Israel.
The strike, which occurred on Tuesday, marked Israel’s first attack against U.S. ally Qatar and has complicated diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving a ceasefire in Gaza. President Donald Trump expressed his displeasure over the unprecedented action, yet Rubio stated that it would not alter the nature of U.S.-Israel relations.
“While the President is not happy about the strike, we will need to discuss its implications for truce efforts,” Rubio told reporters before departing for the region.
The Israeli operation targeted Hamas leaders who were in Doha discussing a new ceasefire proposal backed by the United States. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the strike, asserting that eliminating senior Hamas officials would remove a significant obstacle to ending the war.
In recent days, Israel has intensified its military operations in Gaza City, the largest urban center in the territory, urging residents to evacuate and demolishing buildings it claims are being used by Hamas. The UN estimates that approximately one million people are currently living in Gaza City and its surroundings, where a famine has been declared due to Israeli aid restrictions.
Bakri Diab, a father of four who fled western Gaza City, lamented, “All the occupation has done is force people to crowd into places with no basic services and no safety.”
According to Gaza’s civil defense agency, at least seven individuals were killed in Israeli strikes on Sunday. However, due to media restrictions and access difficulties in the region, independent verification of these reports remains challenging.
On Friday, the UN General Assembly voted to support a revival of the two-state solution, despite opposition from Israel. Allies such as Britain and France are expected to recognize Palestinian statehood at an upcoming UN gathering, expressing frustration over Israel’s actions in the Gaza conflict.
Despite this, Israel continues to receive strong backing from the United States. Ahead of Rubio’s visit, State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott emphasized the U.S. commitment to combat anti-Israel actions, including unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state.
Domestically, opponents of the Netanyahu government are pressuring officials to end the war in exchange for the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum accused Netanyahu of being the “one obstacle” to freeing the captives.
Of the 251 individuals taken hostage by Palestinian militants in October 2023, 47 remain in Gaza, with 25 confirmed dead by the Israeli military.
Brian Katulis, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, expressed skepticism about Rubio’s potential influence on Israel regarding a ceasefire, noting an “alarming passivity” in reaching such an agreement.
In Jerusalem, Rubio is scheduled to visit the Western Wall with Netanyahu on Sunday. The ongoing conflict was ignited by Hamas’s attack on Israel in October 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, primarily civilians. Israel’s retaliatory actions in Gaza have led to at least 64,803 deaths, also mostly civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run health ministry.
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Hope its impact will be felt, maybe it would put an end to the6s blood battles.