U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Monday amidst escalating tensions following an Israeli airstrike targeting Hamas leaders in Doha, Qatar.
The airstrike, which occurred last week, has drawn widespread condemnation from Arab nations. As a result, Qatar convened a summit with leaders from multiple Arab nations to express their unified disapproval of Israel’s actions.
Over the weekend, President Donald Trump urged caution to Netanyahu’s government, advising them to be “very careful” in their military actions after the airstrike in Doha.
“They have to do something about Hamas, but Qatar has been a great ally to the United States,” President Trump stated to reporters in New Jersey.
During their joint appearance, Netanyahu praised the Trump administration for its continued international support of Israel’s military tactics against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. He emphasized that the U.S. backing sends a clear message about America’s stance on Israel.
“Your presence here today sends a clear message that America stands with Israel,” Netanyahu declared.
The Israeli Prime Minister defended last week’s airstrike, asserting that it was a targeted attack against senior Hamas leaders responsible for the terrorist attacks carried out on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 individuals and the abduction of 251 others.
Hamas responded to the airstrike, claiming that while five of its members were killed, Israel failed to eliminate its intended targets—key negotiators based in Doha, who reportedly had the support of both Israel and the U.S.
Secretary Rubio, when questioned about the backlash from the Gulf region, stated, “We have strong relationships with our Gulf allies… We have been engaged with them consistently before what happened and after what happened.”
He reminded reporters of the ongoing situation, saying, “Irrespective of what has occurred, the reality is we still have 48 hostages. We still have Hamas that is holding Gaza hostage and using civilians as human shields… as long as they are around, there will be no peace in this region.”
Following meetings in Israel, it has been reported that Rubio intends to travel to Qatar for further discussions before heading to the United Kingdom, where President Trump will be on a state visit.
Rubio expressed the need to understand Israel’s future plans while acknowledging dissatisfaction with the airstrike.
“What’s happened has happened. Obviously, we were not happy about it. The president was not happy with it,” he said. “Now we need to move forward and figure out what comes next. Because at the end of the day, when all is said and done, there is still a group called Hamas, which is an evil group that still has weapons and is terrorizing.”
In response to Israel’s actions, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani condemned the Israeli strike and emphasized the need for the international community to intervene against what he described as double standards concerning Israel’s conduct.
Qatar, a vital U.S. ally, hosts the Al-Udeid Air Base, the largest American military installation in the Middle East, where thousands of U.S. troops are stationed.
A source privy to the discussions at the emergency summit in Doha revealed that a draft resolution was in the works, condemning Israel’s “hostile acts including genocide, ethnic cleansing, [and] starvation” in Gaza.
This resolution aims to stress that Israel’s actions endanger “prospects of peace and coexistence” in the region.
Israel has staunchly rejected allegations that its military campaign in Gaza amounts to genocide, insisting its actions target Hamas militants who utilize civilians as human shields during conflicts.
The ongoing conflict has resulted in significant loss of life, with Gaza’s Hamas-run Ministry of Health reporting over 64,000 Palestinian deaths since the onset of hostilities nearly two years ago. However, Israel has not provided its own figures and restricts foreign journalists from accessing Gaza independently to verify these claims.
The United Nations has often cited the data from the Gazan health ministry as the most reliable available regarding the death toll during this conflict.
Recently, the U.N. General Assembly passed a resolution overwhelmingly supporting a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict, advocating for an independent Palestinian state to be established alongside Israel through a negotiated agreement.
While President Trump previously expressed support for this two-state resolution, there has been a noticeable shift in his administration’s position as they move away from endorsing this objective, despite the growing international support for Palestinian statehood.
In voting against the resolution, Israel and the U.S. were among the few dissenting countries, with Netanyahu reiterating his government’s stance against the establishment of a Palestinian state.
The U.N. resolution also condemned Israel’s attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in Gaza, highlighting the humanitarian crisis resulting from ongoing military operations.
A non-binding resolution garnering support from 142 nations also called for the release of remaining Israeli hostages, suggesting the establishment of a transitional administrative committee governed by the Palestinian Authority after a ceasefire in Gaza.
“In the context of ending the war in Gaza, Hamas must end its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority,” the resolution stated.
As diplomatic discussions continue to unfold between the U.S., Israel, and regional partners, the complex dynamics surrounding the Middle East conflict remain fraught with tension and uncertainty.
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