JERUSALEM – President Donald Trump may have hoped to be stitching together the final details of a peace deal, but instead his top diplomat landed in Jerusalem on Sunday to douse blazing tensions between U.S. allies.Secretary of State marco Rubio has signaled that washington wants answers from Israel after its unprecedented attack on Hamas leaders inside Qatar, another key American partner in the Middle East. The Trump administration has sought to distance itself from the strike, which has outraged regional powers and left efforts to end Israel’s devastating assault on the Gaza Strip in tatters.But while Rubio said saturday that the U.S. was unhappy about the attack on Doha, he made clear that it would not fundamentally alter the close relationship between the two countries.
“Obviously we’re not happy about it,” Rubio told reporters. “The president was not happy about it. Now we need to move forward and figure out what comes next.”
He said he would talk about “what the future holds” during his two-day visit to Israel, where he will be meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others in jerusalem, and visiting the Western Wall.
Senator Rubio to Visit Israel Amid Intensifying Gaza offensive and Hostage Negotiations
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) is traveling to Israel to meet with Israeli leaders and families of hostages held by Hamas,as Israeli forces intensify their military operations in Gaza,notably around Gaza City. The visit comes as Qatar hosts a summit of Arab and Muslim leaders to address the escalating conflict.
Rubio’s trip, as reported by the State Department, will focus on underscoring the U.S. commitment to securing the release of hostages and discussing “Israeli operational goals and objectives” related to the ground offensive in Gaza.He will also meet with families of those still captive.
The situation in Gaza is dire. Israeli forces have increased aerial attacks on Gaza City and surrounding areas, leading to mass displacement and a worsening humanitarian crisis. Israeli authorities reported Saturday that approximately 250,000 Palestinians have fled the area following evacuation orders. Health officials in Gaza reported receiving the bodies of 47 people killed by Israeli military action over the past 24 hours.
A famine has been confirmed in Gaza City by United Nations-backed global food security experts since August 22nd. Since then, Gaza’s health ministry reports at least 142 people have died from starvation and malnutrition across the territory. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/un-says-famine-imminent-gaza-2024-03-18/
The current conflict began after Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the abduction of around 250 hostages. https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/hamas
Since then, Palestinian health officials report that over 64,000 Palestinians have been killed in gaza by Israeli forces, including a important number of children, with the vast majority of the population displaced and widespread destruction of infrastructure. https://www.un.org/unispal/news/gaza-death-toll-passes-34000-as-israel-intensifies-attacks (note: Numbers have been updated to reflect current reporting as of November 26, 2023).
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that Gaza City is Hamas’s last major stronghold, but the plan to occupy the city has faced international criticism. The United Nations has warned that continuing the offensive in an area already experiencing famine could lead to an “even deeper catastrophe.”
Phillipe Lazzarini, the commissioner general of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), described Gaza as being “completely obliterated” and a “wasteland” on Sunday, emphasizing the urgent need for political will and decisive action. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/nov/26/gaza-completely-obliterated-unrwa-chief-says-as-israel-intensifies-attacks
The U.S. has been involved in diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region, including brokering the Abraham Accords – landmark deals in former President Trump’s first term that saw the United Arab Emirates and bahrain recognize Israel.
Abigail Williams reported from Jerusalem, and Freddie Clayton from London.