U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Israel this week for high-stakes talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as Israeli forces unleashed a new wave of destruction in Gaza City and regional tensions soared after an Israeli strike on Hamas leaders in Qatar. The visit—marked by strong words, diplomatic overtures, and scenes of devastation—underscored the deepening complexities of the nearly two-year-long conflict between Israel and Hamas, with civilians once again caught in the crossfire.
Standing beside Netanyahu at the Western Wall in Jerusalem on Sunday, September 14, 2025, Rubio emphasized the enduring strength of the U.S.-Israeli alliance, even as President Donald Trump expressed displeasure over Israel’s recent actions in Qatar. Netanyahu, for his part, declared that ties between the two countries were “as durable as the stones in the Western Wall,” according to BBC. The symbolism was unmistakable: despite friction over tactics, the strategic partnership remains a cornerstone of both nations’ Middle East policy.
Rubio’s visit came just days after Israeli jets targeted senior Hamas figures in Doha, an operation that infuriated Qatar—a key U.S. ally and mediator in the hostage crisis. “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 told reporters before departing for Israel, as reported by BBC. In Jerusalem, he urged Qatar to “play a constructive role” in resolving the Gaza conflict, focusing on the urgent goals of releasing all 48 hostages still held by Hamas, disarming the group, and building “a better future for Gazans,” according to Reuters.
Netanyahu, however, remained defiant in the face of international condemnation. He insisted that the strike in Qatar was “fully justified” because it targeted the masterminds of the October 7, 2023, attacks that left 1,200 Israelis dead and 251 taken hostage. “We do not rule out further strikes on Hamas leaders wherever they are,” Netanyahu said, as cited by Reuters. His comments came as Arab leaders gathered in Doha for an emergency summit, warning that Israel’s actions threatened regional coexistence and efforts to normalize relations.
On the ground in Gaza City, the Israeli military’s campaign showed no signs of abating. Over the past week, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out five waves of air strikes targeting more than 500 sites, including what they described as Hamas reconnaissance and sniper positions, tunnel openings, and weapons depots. On Sunday, September 14, the BBC verified footage of bombs smashing into the al-Kawthar tower, while local officials reported at least 30 residential buildings destroyed that day alone. The devastation continued Monday, with Reuters documenting the collapse of the 16-floor al-Ghefari residential tower—believed to be the tallest in the Gaza Strip—after Israeli warnings to evacuate.
The IDF estimated that by Saturday, September 13, some 250,000 Palestinians had fled Gaza City, though hundreds of thousands remained in the beleaguered urban center. Hamas urged residents to stay put, arguing that nowhere in Gaza was safe; Israeli strikes have hit both northern and southern areas. “The bombardment intensified everywhere and we took down the tents, more than 20 families, we do not know where to go,” Musbah al-Kafarna, a displaced resident, told Reuters. Another resident, Ghada, described the trauma of displacement: “Do you know what is displacement? It is extracting the soul from your body, it is humiliation and another form of death,” she told Reuters via chat app. “They tell us to go south, and when we do, there is no guarantee they won’t bomb us there, so why bother?”
The humanitarian crisis has reached new depths. According to the Hamas-run health ministry, 68 bodies arrived at Gaza hospitals on Sunday, September 14, following Israeli strikes. Since the United Nations and global food security experts declared a famine in Gaza City on August 22, at least 144 people have died from starvation and malnutrition, the health ministry said. In the past 24 hours leading up to Monday, September 15, three more Palestinians reportedly died from hunger, raising the total to at least 425—including 145 children—since the war began. The UN and numerous countries have warned that Israel’s tactics amount to forced mass displacement, with dire conditions in the so-called humanitarian zone to the south, where food and medical supplies remain critically short.
Israel disputes the health ministry’s figures on malnutrition-related deaths and insists it is expanding efforts to facilitate aid deliveries. Yet, the numbers remain staggering: since August 11, 2025—just after Netanyahu announced plans to seize Gaza City—at least 350,000 Palestinians have fled their homes, and 1,600 residential buildings and 13,000 tents have been destroyed, according to Hamas. The Israeli military campaign, launched after the October 2023 Hamas-led attack, has killed more than 64,000 people in Gaza, according to local authorities, as reported by Reuters and BBC.
Meanwhile, the diplomatic front remains fraught. Qatar, furious at the strike on its capital, called the attack “cowardly” and a “flagrant violation of international law.” Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani urged the international community to “abandon double standards” and punish Israel for its “crimes,” while vowing that Qatar’s mediation efforts would continue. Arab leaders in Doha warned that Israel’s actions risked derailing any progress toward regional normalization. Yet skepticism abounds among ordinary Palestinians, many of whom doubt that summits or statements will bring meaningful change. “We have never placed much hope in Arab leaders and their summits,” Ahmed Nemer, a Gaza City resident, told Reuters. “The final statement is written by the Americans or is vetted by the Americans, so what can we expect?”
Within Israel, the ongoing hostage crisis continues to fuel anger and division. Families of the 48 hostages still held by Hamas accuse Netanyahu of sabotaging peace efforts. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum wrote on social media that “every time a deal approaches, Netanyahu sabotages it,” pointing to the Qatar strike as the latest example. Despite mounting international pressure and growing isolation, Netanyahu appears determined to press on with his plan to occupy Gaza City and eliminate Hamas as a military force. “As much as we may wish that there be a peaceful, diplomatic way to end it, and we’ll continue to explore and be dedicated to it, we also have to be prepared for the possibility that’s not going to happen,” Rubio said, calling Hamas “savage terrorists.”
As Israeli airstrikes continue to batter Gaza City and diplomatic efforts stall, the prospect of a negotiated ceasefire remains elusive. For the hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians, the future is uncertain—and for the region, the stakes have rarely felt higher.
