U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday that the Israeli attack on the negotiating delegation of Hamas in Doha, Qatar, would not alter the relationship between Washington and Tel Aviv.
اضافة اعلان
On Tuesday, Israel carried out an airstrike targeting Hamas leadership in Doha and subsequently threatened to attack Palestinian leaders “everywhere.”
Speaking to reporters before departing for Israel and the United Kingdom, Rubio stated: “Clearly, we were not pleased with it, and President Donald Trump was not pleased with it either.” He added, “It will not change the nature of our relationship with the Israelis, but we will have to discuss the matter, primarily regarding its impact” on diplomatic efforts to reach a ceasefire in the war-torn Gaza Strip.
In an attempt to justify the strike on Qatar, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed on Saturday his commitment to assassinating Hamas leaders, claiming that “removing them will eliminate obstacles to the release of hostages and ending the war” in Gaza. Netanyahu asserted on his X (formerly Twitter) account that Hamas leaders in Qatar obstructed all ceasefire attempts, prolonging the war indefinitely.
Rubio is scheduled to visit Israel and the United Kingdom between September 13–18, according to a statement from the U.S. State Department, which did not specify the duration of his stay in each country.
The visit comes amid Israel’s escalating campaign in Gaza and its efforts to fully occupy the Strip, alongside stalled ceasefire negotiations following Israel’s assassination attempt on Hamas leaders in Doha during discussions over a potential deal.
Qatar condemned the Israeli attack, labeling it as state terrorism and affirming its right to respond to the strike, which killed one member of Qatari internal security forces.
Hamas reported that its negotiating delegation, led by its chief Khalil Al-Hayya in Gaza, survived the assassination attempt, while his office director Jihad Labad, his son Hammam Al-Hayya, and three aides—Abdullah Abdul Wahid, Moamen Hassouna, and Ahmed Abdul Malik—were killed.
The strike on Qatar occurred despite its mediating role alongside Egypt, with U.S. participation, in indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel to reach a prisoner swap and ceasefire in Gaza.
The attack reflects Israel’s regional escalation. In June, it launched an offensive against Iran and has carried out nearly two years of mass operations in Gaza, attacks in the occupied West Bank, and airstrikes on Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel, with U.S. support, has been committing acts of mass violence in Gaza—including killings, starvation, destruction, and forced displacement—ignoring international calls and International Court of Justice orders to cease.
This campaign has resulted in 64,803 Palestinian deaths, 164,264 injuries—mostly women and children—hundreds of thousands displaced, and a famine claiming the lives of 420 Palestinians, including 145 children, as of Saturday. —(Agencies)
