US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will visit Qatar following his trip to Israel, according to a senior State Department official on Monday.
Qatar is currently the venue for an Arab-Islamic summit, shortly after Israel’s assault on Hamas leaders in its capital.
The summit, organized by the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and initiated by Qatar, aims to increase pressure on Israel amid growing demands to halt the conflict and address the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
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Hamas reports that top officials survived last week’s airstrike in Doha, which resulted in six fatalities and sparked widespread criticism, including from US President Donald Trump.
A draft statement viewed by AFP cautioned that “harsh Israeli aggression” jeopardizes efforts to normalize relations between Israel and Arab nations.
It “endangers all progress made towards establishing normal relations with Israel, including both current and future agreements,” the draft noted.
Israel and its primary ally, the United States, have been working to expand the Abraham Accords, which established ties with the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco in 2020.
The recent attack and Israel’s “genocide and ethnic cleansing in Gaza… threaten the chances of achieving peace and peaceful coexistence in the region,” the draft statement declared.
“The international community must cease its double standards and hold Israel accountable for its crimes,” stated Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani during a preparatory meeting over the weekend.
Along with Egypt and the US, Qatar has spearheaded mediation efforts between Israel and Hamas in the ongoing Gaza conflict.
