US Secretary Of State Asks Qatar To Remain Gaza's Mediator Of Peace

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with US Foreign Minister Marco Rubio at the Wall ofTEN/PHOTO via Instagram @b.netanyahu

JAKARTA - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Qatar to continue to play a constructive role in resolving the Gaza conflict.

In Jerusalem, Rubio spoke on the same day that Arab leaders met in Doha in response to Israeli attacks.

Qatar, a US ally that has mediated jointly in negotiations between Israel and the Hamas militant group last week, was furious at the Israeli attack on its capital, targeting Hamas leaders living there.

Speaking with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his office in Jerusalem, Rubio said Qatar could help achieve the goal of releasing 48 hostages who are still being held in Gaza, stripping Hamas weapons, and building a better future for Gazans.

"Therefore, we will continue to encourage Qatar to play a constructive role in that," he said.

Netanyahu, who has not backed back a bit since Doha's attack drew widespread criticism, said he did not rule out further attacks on Hamas leaders "wherever they are".

While diplomacy took place in Jerusalem and Doha, Israeli forces continued their attack on Gaza City, where they killed 16 Palestinians in attacks on two houses and tents that housed refugee families.

Soldiers also attacked and destroyed a 16-story building in the western part of the city, believed to be the tallest building in the Gaza Strip, about an hour after warning refugee families sheltering inside and around it to leave immediately.

Israel accused the building of being used to hide "terrorist infrastructure."

Rubio gave strong support to Israel, which is increasingly isolated on the world stage due to widespread anger over the huge death toll in Gaza and the ongoing humanitarian and hunger crisis in the Palestinian territories.

President Donald Trump said he wanted the war in Gaza to end soon and all hostages were released.

But Washington has yet to take any steps against Netanyahu's plans to continue to fight for full control of the region and eliminate Hamas.

"While we really want a peaceful and diplomatic way to end it, we will continue to explore and be dedicated to it, we must also be prepared to face the possibility that it will not happen," Rubio said, calling Hamas a "barbarbaric terrorist".