Cairo | Jerusalem: Israeli forces destroyed at least 30 residential buildings in Gaza City and forced thousands of people from their homes, Palestinian officials said, as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived on Sunday to discuss the future of the conflict.
Israel has said it plans to seize the city, where about a million Palestinians have been sheltering, as part of its declared aim of eliminating the militant group Hamas, and has intensified attacks on what it has called Hamas' last bastion.
The group's political leadership, which has engaged in on-and-off negotiations on a possible ceasefire and hostage release deal, was targeted by Israel in an airstrike in Doha on Tuesday in an attack that drew widespread condemnation.
Qatar will host an emergency Arab-Islamic summit on Monday to discuss the next moves. Rubio said Washington wanted to talk about how to free the 48 hostages - of whom 20 are believed to be still alive - still held by Hamas in Gaza and rebuild the coastal strip.
"What's happened, has happened," he said. "We're gonna meet with them (the Israeli leadership). We're gonna talk about what the future holds," Rubio said before heading to Israel where he will stay until Tuesday.
He was expected to visit the Western Wall Jewish prayer site in Jerusalem on Sunday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and hold talks with him during the visit.
Israel has said it plans to seize the city, where about a million Palestinians have been sheltering, as part of its declared aim of eliminating the militant group Hamas, and has intensified attacks on what it has called Hamas' last bastion.
The group's political leadership, which has engaged in on-and-off negotiations on a possible ceasefire and hostage release deal, was targeted by Israel in an airstrike in Doha on Tuesday in an attack that drew widespread condemnation.
Qatar will host an emergency Arab-Islamic summit on Monday to discuss the next moves. Rubio said Washington wanted to talk about how to free the 48 hostages - of whom 20 are believed to be still alive - still held by Hamas in Gaza and rebuild the coastal strip.
"What's happened, has happened," he said. "We're gonna meet with them (the Israeli leadership). We're gonna talk about what the future holds," Rubio said before heading to Israel where he will stay until Tuesday.
He was expected to visit the Western Wall Jewish prayer site in Jerusalem on Sunday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and hold talks with him during the visit.
You may also like
Strictly Come Dancing fans 'a mess' over Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell's return
Strictly Come Dancing viewers fume as Amy Dowden paired with Thomas Skinner
2 Assam Rifles personnel killed in Manipur: Two suspects held, says police; van used in ambush also recovered
Enzo Maresca provides Cole Palmer injury update after Chelsea star limps off vs Man Utd
Man Utd stars step up to give Ruben Amorim exactly what he needed with vital Chelsea win
