&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "'Better future cannot begin until Hamas is...': Gaza City bombing escalates after Marco Rubio's visit to Jerusalem")
Israel launched intense airstrikes on Gaza City on Tuesday (September 16), with residents reporting homes reduced to rubble and civilians trapped beneath the debris. The escalation followed a visit by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Jerusalem, where he fully endorsed Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s renewed military push against Hamas.
Speaking alongside Netanyahu, Rubio assured Israel of America’s “unshakable support,” describing Hamas as “barbaric animals” and expressing skepticism toward Qatar’s ongoing efforts to mediate a ceasefire. The latest assault on Gaza City—the most densely populated area of the enclave—comes amid warnings from the United Nations that famine looms for over one million residents. Local civil defense officials in Gaza reported that casualties continue to climb, with the southern city of Khan Yunis also hit by Israeli airstrikes, including an attack that killed 49 people the day before.
Due to restricted media access and dangerous conditions, independent verification of casualty figures remains challenging, although the UN continues to deem Gaza’s health ministry statistics as credible. As of now, over 64,900 Palestinians—mostly civilians—are reported to have been killed since the war began following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which left 1,219 people dead.
Rubio’s Middle East tour is happening against the backdrop of increasing diplomatic friction. His show of support for Netanyahu contrasts with criticism from US President Donald Trump, who recently warned Israel not to strike targets in Qatar—home to a key US air base and a key broker in hostage talks.
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Despite this, Rubio dismissed statehood recognition as symbolic and warned against Qatar-led diplomacy. France, meanwhile, is preparing to host a UN summit in which several US allies are expected to push for formal recognition of a Palestinian state—moves staunchly opposed by the Israeli government.
Some Israeli ministers have even floated the idea of annexing the occupied West Bank, prompting rare rebukes from the UAE, which normalised ties with Israel in 2020. While in Jerusalem, Rubio also toured sensitive sites, including a controversial underground tunnel beneath the Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan, sparking criticism from local residents. Silwan community leader Fakhri Abu Diab accused the US of turning a blind eye to Palestinian suffering and backing Israel’s far-right agenda. Rubio also paid a visit to the Western Wall, echoing Trump-era declarations of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital—a stance Palestinians reject, citing international law and claims to East Jerusalem as their future capital.
