Israel’s assault on Gaza City appeared to be accelerating, with the military issuing evacuation orders for several towers in Gaza City within just a few hours on Sunday morning.
The strikes came ahead of a meeting called by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss efforts to avoid harming the hostages still held in Gaza when the Israeli military undertakes a ground operation planned to take control of Gaza City, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Rubio is scheduled to officially meet Netanyahu on Monday. The Israeli leader is expected to raise his government’s potential West Bank annexation plans with Rubio, according to three Israeli sources.
Also on Monday, the leaders of several Arab and Islamic countries are expected to attend an emergency summit in Doha as a show of support to Qatar, after Israel conducted a strike on its capital city earlier this week.
Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said Sunday that the Israeli strikes will “not deter” it from continuing “sincere efforts” to mediate an end to the war in Gaza.
“The barbaric and demagogic practices of Israel will not deter us from continuing to make sincere efforts with Egypt and the United States to stop this unjust war,” Al Thani said.
