US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has arrived in Israel to discuss the war in Gaza following Israel's attack on Hamas members in Qatar, which has drawn international condemnation.
Before his departure, Rubio said US President Donald Trump was unhappy with the Israeli strike on the key US ally, but stressed that the US-Israeli relationship was 'very strong'.
Obviously we're not happy about it, the president was not happy about it. Now we need to move forward and figure out what comes next, Rubio said.
His visit comes as Israeli forces continue to destroy residential buildings in Gaza City, forcing thousands to flee ahead of an expected ground offensive to seize the city.
In his remarks at Joint Base Andrews, Rubio added that Trump's priority remained the return of all hostages and an end to the war. Hamas members had been in Doha to discuss the latest US proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza when Israel launched its strikes.
When asked whether the strike on Doha complicated Qatar's willingness to work with the US, Rubio said they've been good partners on a number of fronts.
Qatar - a key US ally in the region and the location of a major American air base - will host an emergency Arab-Islamic summit on Monday to discuss next moves.
Doha has condemned Israel's attack as 'cowardly' and a 'flagrant violation of international law'. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the move was 'fully justified' because it targeted senior Hamas leaders who organised the 7 October 2023 attacks.
Some 48 Israeli hostages, of whom 20 are believed to remain alive, are being held by Hamas in Gaza. Their families have said Netanyahu is the 'one obstacle' preventing their return and reaching a peace deal.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum wrote on social media that Israel's strike on Qatar last week shows 'every time a deal approaches, Netanyahu sabotages it'.
The UN warns a military escalation in Gaza, where famine has been declared, may push civilians into 'even deeper catastrophe'. Footage verified by the BBC showed bombs hitting the al-Kawthar tower, with local officials reporting at least 30 residential buildings destroyed.
Israel has demanded that residents of Gaza City leave the area, with approximately 250,000 Palestinians having fled south amid ongoing attacks. Many remain stranded and fearful, with reports of intensified bombardments everywhere.
As of Sunday, the Hamas-run health ministry reported that at least 68 bodies from recent conflicts had been received at hospitals, amidst fears of starvation and malnutrition affecting those remaining in Gaza.