US Secretary Of State Meets Netanyahu, Israel Destroys Dozens Of Buildings In Gaza

JAKARTA - Israeli forces destroyed about 30 residential buildings in Gaza City and forced thousands of people to flee their homes, as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived on Sunday to discuss the future of the invasion.

Israel declared its plans to capture the city, where about one million Palestinians took refuge, as part of a declared purpose to eliminate the Hamas militant group.

The Israeli military intensified attacks on what it called the last bastion of the Palestinian militant group.

The political leadership of Hamas involved in the intermittent negotiations regarding possible ceasefires and the agreement to release hostages, was targeted by Israeli airstrikes in Doha on Tuesday, an attack that drew widespread condemnation.

Qatar will host the Arab-Islam emergency summit on Monday to discuss the next steps. Rubio said Washington wanted to discuss how to free the 48 hostages who were still being held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip and rebuild the coast. Only 20 people are believed to be alive.

"What has happened has happened," he said.

"We will meet with them (Israeli leaders). We will discuss what will happen in the future," Rubio said before leaving for Israel and would stay there until Tuesday.

Arriving there, Rubio visited the Wall ofTEN, a Jewish place of worship in Jerusalem. He is scheduled to negotiate with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The visit to the Wall "represents America's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's eternal capital," according to a statement from the State Department.

In late 2017, during his first term as president, Donald Trump officially recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and then moved the US embassy there from Tel Aviv.

Head of the United Nations Aid and Work Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini said UNRWA had stopped services at the beach camp clinic, which he said was the only health service available in the enclave north of Wadi Gaza.

Water and sanitation services are now only half capacity, said Lazzarini, adding 10 UNRWA buildings had been attacked in Gaza City in the past four days.