Rubio heads to Israel, will 'have to speak about' Doha strike; PM signifies it did not kill Hamas chiefs

[ad_1] United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio traveled to Israel on Saturday for an official go to, lower than every week after the Israel Protection Forces attacked Hamas leaders contained in the US ally Qatar’s capital metropolis Doha.

In accordance with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace, he and Rubio will go to the Western Wall collectively in Jerusalem on Sunday. The Prime Minister’s Workplace didn't announce plans for the 2 leaders to sit down for a proper working assembly.

In an English language tweet on Saturday evening, Netanyahu appeared to acknowledge that the missile strike had didn't kill the focused Hamas leaders, and said that eliminating them “would rid the primary impediment to releasing all our hostages and ending the struggle.”

On the tarmac in Washington forward of his flight, Rubio instructed reporters that the US is “not joyful” concerning the Israeli strike concentrating on Hamas leaders in Qatar, however the assault is not going to change Washington’s allied standing with Israel.

Tuesday’s strike — the primary by Israel towards US ally Qatar — rocked the area and put an enormous pressure on diplomatic efforts to convey a few truce in war-ravaged Gaza.

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By signing up, you comply with the terms “What’s occurred has occurred. Clearly, we weren't joyful about it, the president was not joyful about it,” Rubio instructed reporters shortly earlier than departing Washington for discussions with officers in Israel.

“It’s not going to vary the character of our relationship with the Israelis, however we're going to have to speak about it — primarily, what affect does this have” on the truce efforts, Rubio added.

Harm is seen after an Israeli strike focused a part of a constructing that hosted Hamas’s leaders in Doha, Qatar, September 10, 2025. (AP/Jon Gambrell)

“We have to transfer ahead and work out what comes subsequent, as a result of on the finish of the day, when all is alleged and achieved, there's nonetheless a gaggle referred to as Hamas, which is an evil group,” he stated.

Rubio added that he can be in search of solutions from Israeli officers about how they see the best way ahead in Gaza.

“We’re going to speak about what the long run holds, and I’m going to get a a lot better understanding of what their plans are transferring ahead,” he stated.

Trump “desires Hamas defeated, he desires the struggle to finish, he desires all 48 hostages dwelling, together with these which can be deceased, and he desires it unexpectedly,” Rubio continued. “And we’ll have to debate about how the occasions final week had an affect on the power to attain that briefly order.”

Israel focused Hamas leaders gathering in Qatar to debate a brand new ceasefire proposal put ahead by US President Donald Trump’s administration.

Trump has referred to as Israel’s assault unlucky, stated he was “very unhappy” about it, chided Netanyahu, and stated the US came upon concerning the assault too late to cease it.

On Friday, Trump and particular envoy Steve Witkoff had dinner with the Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani in New York. Earlier within the day, al-Thani held a four-hour-long assembly with Vice President JD Vance and Rubio on the White Home.

From L-R: Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, US Vice President JD Vance, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, meet in Washington, DC, September 13, 2025. (Qatar’s International Ministry/X)

A supply briefed on the assembly stated they mentioned Qatar’s future as a mediator within the area and protection cooperation within the wake of the Israeli strikes towards Hamas in Doha.

Qatar’s International Ministry stated in an announcement that Vance and Rubio expressed their appreciation for Qatar’s “tireless mediation efforts and its efficient position in bringing peace to the area,” and stated that Doha is a “dependable strategic ally of the US of America.”

Thani “affirmed that the State of Qatar will take all measures to guard its safety and safeguard its sovereignty within the face of the blatant Israeli assault,” the assertion learn.

US President Donald Trump, proper, listens as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks throughout a cupboard assembly within the White Home, on August 26, 2025, in Washington. Inside Secretary Doug Burgum appears to be like on left. (AP Picture/Mark Schiefelbein)

In addressing Rubio’s go to to Israel, the State Division this week stated solely that the highest US diplomat would talk about “operational targets and targets” with Israel and present “the US dedication to Israeli safety.”

Determining US stance on annexation In accordance with the Axios information web site, among the many subjects that Rubio will talk about with Israeli officers is the potential annexation of the West Financial institution as a response to Western nations’ deliberate recognition of a Palestinian state.

Two Israeli officers told Axios that “Rubio has signaled in non-public conferences that he doesn’t oppose West Financial institution annexations and the Trump administration received’t stand in the best way.”

On the identical time, the report cited a US official saying White Home and State Division officers who've held inner conferences on the problem worry Israeli annexation of components of the West Financial institution “would result in the collapse of the Abraham Accords and tarnish Trump’s legacy.”

The report stated Netanyahu desires “to determine from Rubio” how a lot leeway he has on annexation.

Rubio has warned nations contemplating recognizing Palestinian statehood throughout the UN Basic Meeting later this month that Israel may take “reciprocal” motion within the type of annexing the West Financial institution.

Earlier than departing for Israel, Rubio additionally confirmed he would participate within the inauguration of a brand new tunnel in Jerusalem’s Outdated Metropolis for guests approaching the Temple Mount, the holiest web site for Jews, which can be sacred for Muslims as the positioning of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

“The Metropolis of David is separate. I intend to go to that,” Rubio stated.

Netanyahu hints Hamas leaders survived strikes Amid rising indicators that the Israeli strike on Hamas leaders in Qatar on Tuesday failed, Netanyahu hinted strongly on Saturday that they're nonetheless alive and needs to be focused once more.

“The Hamas terrorists cheifs [sic] dwelling in Qatar don’t care concerning the folks in Gaza,” wrote Netanyahu on X.

The Hamas terrorists cheifs dwelling in Qatar do not care concerning the folks in Gaza.

They blocked all ceasefire makes an attempt with a view to endlessly drag out the struggle.

Eliminating them would rid the primary impediment to releasing all our hostages and ending the struggle.

— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) September 13, 2025

“They blocked all ceasefire makes an attempt with a view to endlessly drag out the struggle,” he continued.

“Eliminating them would rid the primary impediment to releasing all our hostages and ending the struggle,” he concludes in a publish uncharacteristically containing a typo, written shortly after the tip of Shabbat.

A composite picture of 5 members of Hamas’s management focused by Israel in Qatar on September 9, 2025, L-R: Zaher Jabarin, Khaled Mashaal, Khalil al-Hayya, Muhammad Ismail Darwish, Nizar Awadallah. (Mahmud Hams/Louai Beshara/KHAMENEI.IR/AFP)

In accordance with latest stories, Israel’s safety institution now more and more believes it didn't kill any of Hamas’s high brass who have been gathered on the web site of Tuesday’s strike in Doha.

Hebrew media reports on the weekend indicated that many of the protection institution had advisable that the assault be postpone, and the Washington Publish reported that the Mossad refused to hold out a deliberate floor operation it had drawn as much as kill the Hamas leaders in Doha, fearing that the operation would doom hostage-ceasefire talks and harm the company’s ties with Qatar.

Hamas recognized the lifeless as Jihad Labad, head of the workplace of high Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya; al-Hayya’s son Hammam al-Hayya; and three others described as “associates” — both advisers or bodyguards: Abdallah Abd al-Wahid, Muamen Hassouna and Ahmad Abd al-Malek. As well as, a Qatari safety officer, Lance Corporal Badr Saad Mohammed al-Humaidi al-Dosari, was killed.

Their funerals have been held Thursday in Doha, and have been attended by a number of high Hamas leaders, in addition to the Qatari emir.

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