Donald Trump’s top diplomat, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has arrived in Israel at a tense moment in the Middle East. His visit comes just days after an
Israeli airstrike in Qatar targeted Hamas leaders, throwing fragile ceasefire negotiations into turmoil and straining relations across the region.
Rubio, traveling with his wife Jeanette, made clear before leaving Washington that President Trump was “not happy” with Israel’s decision to carry out the strike. While he emphasized that the broader US-Israel relationship remains strong, Rubio said he expects direct answers from Israeli leaders about how they see the war in Gaza moving forward.
“There are still 48 hostages who must be released—all at once, not in stages,” Rubio told reporters. “And when this war does end, the difficult work begins: rebuilding Gaza in a way that allows people to live with dignity and stability. The question is—who will take responsibility for that? Who pays for it? Who leads it?”
The timing of the airstrike was particularly explosive. Hamas officials had gathered in Doha to discuss a US-backed ceasefire proposal when Israel launched the attack. Hamas later claimed its senior leaders survived, though five people were killed—including the son of Khalil al-Hayya, the group’s chief negotiator.
US officials privately criticized the strike, calling it a reckless move that undermined both American and Israeli interests. Arab governments across the region condemned it outright. Qatar, a close US ally and key mediator, has now convened an emergency Arab-Islamic summit to formally denounce the attack.
Rubio will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top officials in Jerusalem before joining President Trump in the UK next week for a state visit.
Meanwhile, the war in Gaza continues to exact a devastating human toll. On Saturday, Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City killed at least 32 people, including 12 children, according to health officials. Among the victims was a Palestinian footballer, Mohammed Ramez Sultan, who died alongside 14 members of his family. More strikes on Sunday killed another 13 people and left dozens wounded.
The Israeli military also demolished a high-rise residential building in Gaza City on Sunday morning, giving residents less than an hour to evacuate. Israel accused Hamas of placing surveillance equipment inside the tower, though residents say it was a civilian building.
As the violence escalates, some of Gaza’s most vulnerable are finally finding a lifeline. The first group of critically ill and injured Palestinian children is being evacuated to the UK for treatment under a government-led operation. British officials say these children—and their immediate families—will soon arrive in the UK, where they will receive care that is currently impossible in Gaza’s collapsing hospitals. Photo by Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, Wikimedia commons.
