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JERUSALEM: Israel and the United States showed a unified front on Monday in the face of growing international anger over Israel’s airstrikes on Hamas leaders in Qatar and its intensifying bombardment of Gaza City.
As Arab and Muslim leaders met in Doha to condemn Israel’s attack last week in Qatar and new rounds of criticism were aired over Israeli plans to occupy Gaza City, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stood shoulder-to-shoulder in Jerusalem and downplayed the furor that had, at least for a short time, taken the Trump administration aback.
Rubio plans to pay a quick visit to Qatar on Tuesday, as the administration appears keen to ease tensions between its two close allies, before flying on to London to join President Donald Trump on his state visit to Britain.
“We understand they’re not happy about what happened,” Rubio told Fox News. But “we still have Hamas, we still have hostages, and we still have a war. And all those things still have to be dealt with, and we are hopeful that Qatar and all of our Gulf partners will continue to add something constructive.”
There were no signs of US frustration with Israel’s latest actions, although Trump had made clear his displeasure with Israel’s unilateral strike on Hamas in Qatar.
US and Israel agree on destroying Hamas
Both Netanyahu and Rubio said the only way to end the conflict in Gaza is through the elimination of Hamas and the release of the remaining 48 hostages — around 20 of them believed to be alive — setting aside calls for an interim ceasefire in favor of an immediate end to the conflict.
Hamas has said it will only free the remaining hostages in return for Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Rubio had come to Israel seeking answers from Netanyahu about how Israel intended to proceed in Gaza and assess its interest in Qatar retaining a mediating role.
“Your presence here in Israel today is a clear message that America stands with Israel. You stand with us in the face of terror,” said Netanyahu.
The Doha attack, which killed at least five lower-ranking Hamas members and a member of the Qatari security forces, appears to have paused mediation efforts.
Rubio later met with families of the hostages, who aired concerns that Israel’s latest offensive could doom their loved ones and called on the Trump administration to swiftly resume negotiations, according to a statement from the main group representing relatives of the captives.
Footage shows strike on Gaza high-rise
Israel destroyed another high-rise building in Gaza City as it moved ahead with its offensive. Video footage showed the explosion and the tower’s collapse. Later, people could be seen scrambling up a mound of gray ruins.
In recent days, Israel has destroyed multiple high-rises after evacuation warnings. It accused Hamas of putting surveillance equipment in them, without providing evidence.
Airstrikes overnight and into Monday killed at least 18 people, including children, according to local hospitals.
One strike hit a tent housing a family, killing seven, and another hit a tent on the roof of a building, killing a local journalist, Mohammed Al-Kuifi, and another person, according to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. A strike in central Gaza killed four people, according to Al-Awda Hospital.
Israel says it only targets militants and blames civilian deaths on Hamas because it is entrenched in populated areas.
“It was another night of horror. ... The situation is tragic and getting worse day by day,” said Mohammed Saber, a resident in Gaza City.
Rubio downplayed US concerns about Israel’s latest operations in Gaza City, and Netanyahu gave no indication that Israel would let up on its offensive.
US and Israel reject calls for Palestinian state
One of Rubio’s reasons for visiting was to show support for Israel as it expects to face growing international condemnation of the war at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly session. A number of European countries and Canada have said they intend to recognize a Palestinian state over fervent US and Israeli objections.
Some Israeli politicians have hinted that Israel may respond by annexing part of the West Bank. Rubio said statehood recognition is counterproductive to creating a state through negotiations and suggested that such proclamations are self-serving.
“The only impact they actually have is it makes Hamas feel more emboldened,” he said. “It’s actually served as an impediment to peace.”
Israel and the Palestinians have not held serious or substantive peace talks since Netanyahu returned to office in 2009.
Netanyahu, who strongly opposes Palestinian statehood, said “it is clear that if unilateral actions are taken against us, it simply invites unilateral actions on our part.”
Palestinians flee to the south
Israel has been urging Palestinians in Gaza City to head south. But there is little space for people to shelter in Muwasi, a sprawling, crowded tent camp that Israel has designated as a humanitarian zone and where it has regularly carried out strikes on what it says are militant targets.
COGAT, the Israeli military body in charge of civilian affairs in Gaza, said it has increased the amount of food, medical equipment and shelter supplies it allows into Gaza, including 20,000 tents brought in since May. It said it has also repaired water lines and power lines for desalination plants.
On Monday, images showed a steady stream of Palestinians walking and driving along the narrow road by the sea that Israel designated a safe corridor.
The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. Most of the hostages have since been released in ceasefires brokered in part by Qatar or other deals.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 64,871 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t say how many were civilians or combatants. The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals, says women and children make up around half the dead.