By Johnathan Paoli
Israeli airstrikes pounded Gaza City on Sunday, destroying at least 30 residential buildings and forcing thousands of people to flee, Palestinian officials said, as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Israel for talks on the war and the fate of dozens of hostages still held by Hamas.
Rubio landed in Israel after meeting Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani in Doha on Friday.
His visit comes amid outrage over Israel’s strike last week on Hamas leaders in Doha, which killed six people, including a Qatari security officer. The attack drew condemnation from Qatar and other Arab states, which accused Israel of violating international law.
“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 before departing Washington.
He added that President Donald Trump’s priority remained securing the release of the 48 remaining hostages in Gaza, of whom 20 are believed to still be alive.
Rubio will meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem and is scheduled to visit the Western Wall.
US officials described Israel’s unilateral strike in Qatar as “not serving American or Israeli interests,” but emphasised that Washington remains committed to its alliance with Israel.
The bombardment marked a sharp escalation in Israel’s declared plan to seize Gaza City, home to nearly one million displaced Palestinians, as part of its campaign to dismantle Hamas.
Israeli officials described the city as Hamas’ “last bastion” after nearly two years of war triggered by the group’s October 7, 2023 assault on southern Israel, which left 1,200 people dead and 251 abducted.
Footage verified by international media showed bombs striking the al-Kawthar tower in Gaza City.
Local authorities reported that at least 28 people were killed in the city alone on Saturday, while 40 died across the enclave. The Hamas-run health ministry said more than 64,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, while aid groups warn the toll could climb higher as famine and disease spread.
Hamas claims that since August 11, Israel has destroyed 1,600 residential buildings and more than 13,000 tents sheltering displaced families. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said it has carried out five waves of strikes in the past week on over 500 targets, including what it described as Hamas sniper nests, tunnel entrances, and weapons depots.
Israel has urged civilians to evacuate to southern Gaza, designating it a “humanitarian zone.” But many residents say the south is also unsafe and overcrowded, with insufficient food, water, or shelter. Aid agencies warned that an Israeli ground advance into Gaza City would be catastrophic for civilians.
The humanitarian situation remains dire.
Gaza’s health ministry reported Sunday that two more Palestinians, including a child, died of malnutrition and starvation in the past 24 hours, raising such deaths to at least 422 since the start of the year.
While Israel has allowed more aid into the strip since July, the United Nations says deliveries remain far short of what is required to prevent widespread famine.
UN-backed experts confirmed on August 22 that famine had taken hold in Gaza City.
Qatar, a key US partner and host of Hamas’ political leadership, will host an emergency Arab-Islamic summit on Monday to formulate a collective response.
Qatar’s foreign minister accused Israel of “state terrorism” and said the strike undermined efforts to broker a ceasefire and hostage deal.
Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit also condemned Israel, warning that silence “paves the way for more crimes.”
Hamas officials expressed hope that the summit would produce a “unified and decisive Arab–Islamic stance” on the war.
Netanyahu, however, defended the attack, insisting Hamas leaders abroad had blocked every ceasefire attempt.
Meanwhile, Israel’s move to expand settlements in the West Bank has triggered new tensions with Gulf states.
The United Arab Emirates warned last week that Netanyahu’s plan threatened the US-brokered Abraham Accords, which normalised relations between Israel and several Arab nations.
As the bombs fell on Gaza City and diplomats maneuvered across the region, families of the hostages accused Netanyahu of sabotaging peace efforts.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said the strike in Qatar showed that “every time a deal approaches, Netanyahu sabotages it.”
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