Rubio arrives in Israel, where the Israeli Defense Army destroys more Gaza City buildings

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Israel to discuss the war in Gaza in the wake of Israel’s attack on Hamas members in Qatar, which led to an international condemnation.

Before his departure, Rubio said that US President Donald Trump was not satisfied with the Israeli strike on the main US ally, but stressed that the American -Israeli relationship was “very strong.”

“It is clear that we are not happy with that, the president was not happy with that. Now we need to move forward and know what comes after that.”

His visit comes at a time when the Israeli forces continue to destroy residential buildings in Gaza City, forcing thousands to flee before an expected attack to seize the city.

In his comments at the joint base of Andrews, Rubio added that Trump’s priority remained the return of all hostages and an end to the war. Hamas members in Doha were to discuss the latest American suggestion to a ceasefire in Gaza when Israel fired its strikes.

When asked if the strike on Doha is complex Qatar’s willingness to work with the United States, Rubio said, “They were good partners on a number of fronts.”

Qatar – a major American ally in the region and a major American air base – will host an emergency Arab Arab Summit on Monday to discuss the upcoming moves.

Doha condemned the Israeli attack as “cowardly” and “a flagrant violation of international law.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said this step is “completely justified” because it targeted the senior Hamas leaders who organized the October 7, 2023 attacks.

About 48 Israeli hostages, 20 of whom remain alive, are being held by Hamas in Gaza. Their families said Netanyahu is “one obstacle” Preventing their return and reaching a peace agreement.

The hostage and missing families forum on social media wrote that Israel on Qatar last week appears “every time the deal is approaching, Netanyahu is floundering.”

Netanyahu’s plan to occupy Gaza City has drawn international criticism, with the United Nations warning of a military escalation in an area where famine was declared to push civilians to a “deeper disaster.”

Footage on Sunday, which was verified by the BBC bombs hitting the Ka Gaza Tower. Local officials told Reuters that at least 30 residential buildings had been destroyed. Israel said it had completed five waves of air strikes on the city during the past week, as it targeted more than 500 sites, including what he said are the reconnaissance sites and snipers in Hamas, and the buildings that contain tunnel openings and weapons warehouses.

Israel asked the residents of Gaza City to leave the city and head south, and on Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it estimated that about 250,000 Palestinians fled, although it is believed that hundreds of thousands of thousands are still in the area. He called on people not to leave.

Some say they cannot withstand the costs of going while others say southern Gaza is also not safe because Israel has carried out air strikes there as well.

“The bombing has intensified everywhere and we have removed the tents, more than 20 families, we do not know where to go,” Mossaba Al -Kafarna, who was displaced in Gaza City.

On Sunday, the Hamas -running Ministry of Health in Gaza said that the bodies of 68 people were killed by the Israeli army had arrived at their hospitals during the previous day.

Since international food security experts unacceptable confirmed famine in Gaza City on August 22, the ministry stated that at least 144 people have passed away due to hunger and malnutrition across the region. Israel has said it expanded its efforts to facilitate the aid processes and extracted the Ministry of Health numbers over deaths related to malnutrition.

The Israeli army launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas -led attack on southern Israel on October 7, where about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others took hostage.

At least 64,871 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since then, according to the Hamas Ministry of Health in the region.