U.S. Minister on visit to Israel affirms his country's support despite the strikes on Qatar.

Arabian Sea Newspaper - Special

Arabian Gulf_Agence France-Presse: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Israel on Sunday on a visit to affirm Washington's support for it, despite criticism sparked by Israeli strikes on Qatar targeting Hamas leaders. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is visiting Israel on Sunday to affirm Washington's commitment to supporting it, at a time when Israeli bombing of Qatar is causing regional tension and international criticism, and further complicating truce negotiations and efforts to release hostages in Gaza. The unprecedented strikes, which targeted Hamas leaders, angered Doha, Washington's ally in the region, and were condemned by regional and international parties. They also cast a shadow over attempts to reach a truce in the war and release hostages in the sector, especially since Qatar is a major party in the indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas, which confirmed the survival of the head of its negotiating delegation, Khalil al-Hayya, from the bombing. Rubio's visit comes amid international pressure on Israel against the backdrop of escalating military operations in the northern Gaza Strip, and days before the United Nations General Assembly meetings, where several Western countries intend to recognize a Palestinian state, a move condemned by Israel and Washington. Rubio stressed that the rare public criticism that Trump directed at Israel over the bombing of Doha will not change the broad support that Washington provides to the Hebrew state. He told reporters before his departure, "What happened, happened. Obviously, we're not happy about it, and the President wasn't happy about it." While he affirmed that "this will not change the nature of our relationship with the Israelis, but we have to discuss it (...) and mainly what impact it will have" on efforts to reach a truce in the war that has been going on since October 7, 2023. Rubio added, "We need to move forward and see what comes next, because ultimately, when all is said and done, there is a group called Hamas that still exists, and it is an evil group." Qatar, along with the United States and Egypt, is a key party in mediation efforts to reach a truce in the Gaza Strip. Doha has hosted several rounds of indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday defended the targeting of the movement's leaders, considering that "getting rid" of them would lead to the end of the war. Netanyahu said, "The Hamas terrorist leaders who live in Qatar do not care about the people of Gaza. They have obstructed all attempts at a ceasefire in order to prolong the war indefinitely," considering that "getting rid of them will remove the main obstacle to the release of all our hostages and the end of the war." The Hostages Families Forum commented on this by saying that Netanyahu is an "obstacle" to ending the war and releasing the detainees. A statement from the forum included, "The strike in Qatar proved beyond any doubt that there is one obstacle to the return of the hostages and the end of the war: Prime Minister Netanyahu. Every time a deal is close, Netanyahu sabotages it." Rubio's visit comes at a time when Israel is escalating its operations as part of its declared plan to control Gaza City, the largest and most densely populated city in the Strip.