U.s. Shows Israel Support But Seeks Answers After Qatar Attack Stirs Anger

President Donald Trump whitethorn person hoped to beryllium stitching together nan last specifications of a bid deal, but alternatively his apical diplomat landed successful Jerusalem connected Sunday to douse blazing tensions betwixt U.S. allies.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has signaled that Washington wants answers from Israel aft its unprecedented attack connected Hamas leaders wrong Qatar, different cardinal American partner successful nan Middle East. The Trump management has sought to region itself from nan strike, which has outraged location powers and near efforts to extremity Israel's devastating battle connected nan Gaza Strip in tatters.

But while Rubio said Saturday that nan U.S. was unhappy astir nan attack connected Doha, he made clear that it would not fundamentally change nan adjacent narration betwixt nan 2 countries.

"Obviously we're not happy astir it," Rubio told reporters. "The president was not happy astir it. Now we request to move guardant and fig retired what comes next.”

He said he would talk astir “what nan early holds” during his two-day sojourn to Israel, wherever he will beryllium gathering pinch Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others successful Jerusalem, and visiting nan Western Wall.

Rubio said nan U.S.-Israel narration remains “very strong,” but his comments up of nan travel underline Washington's awkward scramble to equilibrium relations pinch cardinal friends successful nan aftermath of nan attack.

Trump met pinch Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed Al-Thani successful New York connected Friday. The Qatari premier, who accused Israel of having “killed immoderate hope” of releasing hostages still held successful Gaza, besides met pinch Rubio and Vice President J.D. Vance.

“Trump wants Hamas defeated,” Rubio added Saturday. “He wants nan warfare to end, he wants each 48 hostages home, including those that are deceased, and he wants it each astatine once. And we’ll person to talk astir really nan events past week had an effect connected nan expertise to execute that successful short order.”

Possible Israeli plans to annex parts of nan occupied West Bank are besides expected to beryllium connected nan schedule during Rubio's trip.

His sojourn comes conscionable a week earlier respective countries, including France, Canada, Australia and nan United Kingdom, are expected to formally admit a Palestinian state. Bezalel Smotrich, nan far-right Israeli finance minister, has called for nan annexation of 82% of nan West Bank to artifact their imagination of a early Palestinian authorities from becoming a reality.

Trump has a "stark choice," said Dan Shapiro, a elder chap astatine nan Atlantic Council deliberation vessel who was U.S. ambassador to Israel during nan Biden administration. He tin tie a "clear statement against" West Bank annexation, and "steer an extremity to nan warfare successful Gaza."

Or, Shapiro said connected X, he tin "watch his first word accomplishment of nan Abraham Accords wither on nan vine," referring to landmark deals mediated by nan U.S. successful Trump's first word that saw nan United Arab Emirates and Bahrain admit nan authorities of Israel.

Qatar is hosting a acme of Arab and Muslim leaders starting Sunday successful nan aftermath of nan strikes, which drew condemnation from nan UAE, Saudi Arabia and others.

Rubio will besides meet pinch families of hostages while successful Israel, according to nan State Department, and “underscore that their relatives’ return remains a apical priority.” He and Israeli leaders are besides expected to talk “Israeli operational goals and objectives” for nan ongoing crushed violative successful Gaza.

Israeli forces person intensified aerial attacks connected famine-stricken Gaza City and adjacent areas, prompting wide displacement and worsening humanitarian conditions.

Israeli authorities said Saturday that astir 250,000 Palestinians person fled nan area aft removal orders.

The bodies of 47 group killed by nan Israeli subject complete nan erstwhile 24 hours arrived astatine Gaza’s hospitals connected Saturday, according to wellness officials.

Since United Nations-backed world nutrient information experts confirmed a famine successful Gaza City connected 22 August, Gaza’s wellness ministry has reported that astatine slightest 142 group person died from starvation and malnutrition crossed nan territory.

Israel launched its subject run aft nan Hamas-led violent attacks connected Oct. 7, 2023, which saw 1,200 group killed and astir 250 group taken hostage.

Since then, Palestinian wellness officials say, Israeli forces person killed much than 64,000 group successful Gaza, including thousands of children, while driving astir of nan organization from their homes and destroying aliases damaging astir of its buildings and infrastructure.

Netanyahu says Gaza City is Hamas’s past awesome stronghold, but nan scheme to inhabit it has drawn world criticism. The U.N. has warned that pressing nan violative successful an area already facing famine risks pushing civilians into an “even deeper catastrophe.”

Gaza is being “completely obliterated,” Phillipe Lazzarini, nan commissioner wide of nan United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, said Sunday, calling nan enclave a “wasteland.”

“With nan ample standard Israeli subject cognition happening now, governmental will and decision-making is needed much than ever.”