Middle east conflict: Rubio says US will continue to encourage Qatar; 'focused on what happens next'

US secretary of state Marco Rubio on Monday backed Qatar’s role in mediating the Gaza conflict, a week after Israeli strikes on the Gulf nation targeting Hamas.

Rubio, who discussed Qatar with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, is set to visit Qatar on Tuesday, on his way to London where he will join US President Donald Trump on a state visit.

Rubio and Trump have both criticised last week’s strike on Qatar, which is home to the largest American air base in the Middle East.


Speaking after his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Rubio said the focus was now on the way forward.

“We are focused on what happens now, what happens next, what role can Qatar play possibly in reaching an outcome” to bring the conflict to an end, he explained.

“We're going to continue to encourage Qatar to play a constructive role in that regard,” Rubio told reporters at a joint press conference Netanyahu.

Qatar’s emir on Monday accused Israel of neglecting the plight of its hostages in Gaza, saying it was instead focused on making the territory “no longer livable.”

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani made the remarks at the opening of a summit in Doha, convened after Israel’s strike. Israel, however, has maintained that its war aims include both the return of all hostages and the defeat of Hamas.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu defended the strike, saying it was directed against Hamas, the group responsible for the October 7, 2023 assault on Israel.

“We assume full responsibility for it because we believe that terrorists should not be given a haven and the people who planned the worst massacre of the Jewish people since the Holocaust cannot have immunity,” he said.

He compared Israel’s actions to US military campaigns following the September 11 2001 attacks, including operations in Afghanistan and the 2011 mission in Pakistan that killed Osama bin Laden.

“Those countries that are condemning Israel today did not come and say, well, what a terrible thing was done, the sovereignty of Pakistan was violated, the sovereignty of Afghanistan was violated,” the Israeli PM argued.

“You don't have such a sovereignty when you are effectively giving a base to terrorists,” he added.

Prior to the October 7 attack, both Israel and the United States had encouraged Qatar’s involvement in Gaza, including its transfer of millions of dollars to Hamas in an attempt to keep the territory stable.

With its strong relationship with Washington, Qatar was viewed by officials in both countries as a convenient channel to keep watch on Hamas and deter the group from drawing closer to Iran, whose clerical leadership openly backs it.