Rubio to Begin Israel Visit Amid Qatar Strike Fallout

AFP/APP

Jerusalem: Top US diplomat Marco Rubio will begin a visit to Israel on Sunday, after reiterating the Trump administration’s unwavering support for its ally in the war with Hamas. The trip follows Israel’s controversial strike in Qatar that drew widespread criticism.

The visit comes shortly after President Donald Trump publicly rebuked Israel over Tuesday’s unprecedented attack on Hamas leaders meeting in an upscale Doha neighbourhood. The strike, Israel’s first on US ally Qatar, has strained ongoing diplomatic efforts to secure a truce in war-ravaged Gaza.

Before departing for the region on Saturday, Rubio told reporters that while Trump was “not happy” about the strike, it would “not change the nature of our relationship with the Israelis.” He added, however, that Washington and Tel Aviv would “have to talk about” the strike’s impact on truce negotiations.

Trump also criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the attack, which targeted Hamas leaders gathered to discuss a new US ceasefire proposal. Netanyahu defended the operation, insisting that killing senior Hamas figures would remove the “main obstacle” to ending the war.

Fighting in Gaza

Despite renewed ceasefire talk, Israel has intensified its Gaza offensive. In recent days, the Israeli military has escalated efforts to seize control of Gaza City, the territory’s largest urban centre. Residents have been ordered to evacuate, while numerous high-rise buildings—allegedly used by Hamas—have been demolished.

While thousands have fled, many remain in the city and surrounding areas. As of late August, the UN estimated around one million people were still living in Gaza City, where it declared famine conditions, blaming Israeli aid restrictions.

Bakri Diab, a 35-year-old father of four who fled western Gaza City, said strikes continued in the south. “All the occupation has done is force people to crowd into places with no basic services and no safety,” he said.

Gaza’s civil defence agency reported 32 people killed by Israeli fire on Saturday. Due to media restrictions and limited access, AFP was unable to independently verify figures provided by either the civil defence or the Israeli military.

Mounting International Pressure

Netanyahu’s government has continued to defy mounting global criticism throughout the nearly two-year war. On Friday, the UN General Assembly backed a revival of the two-state solution, openly defying Israeli objections.

Western allies including Britain and France are expected to recognise Palestinian statehood at a UN gathering later this month, citing frustration with Israel’s conduct in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. London, Paris, and Berlin have also jointly called for an immediate halt to Israel’s Gaza City offensive.

Despite this, Israel continues to enjoy the backing of its most powerful ally, the United States. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said Rubio’s visit would reaffirm Washington’s commitment to counter “anti-Israel actions, including unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state that rewards Hamas terrorism.” He added Rubio would stress shared goals: ensuring Hamas never rules Gaza again and securing the release of hostages.

Hostages and Domestic Pressure

Domestically, Netanyahu faces pressure from families of Israeli hostages to end the war in exchange for their release. On Saturday, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum accused the prime minister of being the “one obstacle” to freeing captives, claiming he had repeatedly sabotaged ceasefire efforts.

Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas’s October 2023 attack, 47 remain in Gaza. The Israeli military says 25 of them are dead.

US Diplomacy

Analysts suggest Rubio is unlikely to press Israel toward a ceasefire. Brian Katulis, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute and former Clinton administration official, described “an alarming passivity in actually getting to a ceasefire in Gaza.” He argued the administration appeared more influenced by evangelical Christians and right-wing Israeli allies than by diplomatic pragmatism.

In Jerusalem, Rubio is scheduled to visit the Western Wall with Netanyahu on Sunday, the prime minister’s office confirmed.

The war, sparked by Hamas’s October 2023 assault that killed 1,219 people in Israel—mostly civilians—has since claimed at least 64,803 lives in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry figures considered reliable by the UN.