US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in occupied Palestine late Saturday, marking the first stop of his Middle East tour, an AFP journalist reported.

Rubio landed at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv and is set to hold talks with Israeli officials on Sunday. The discussions will focus on President Donald Trump’s proposal to ethnically cleanse and "take over" the Gaza Strip, which has suffered extensive devastation from more than 15 months of Israeli aggression.

The visit comes amid ongoing regional tensions and growing international scrutiny over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. While details of Trump's plan remain unclear, it has already sparked widespread debate over the future governance of the Palestinian territory.

Rubio’s Middle East tour is expected to include further meetings with regional leaders.

US 'eagre' for Gaza proposals

The United States is "eager" to listen to Arab proposals on rebuilding Gaza, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday.

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Egypt is expected to present a proposal focused on rebuilding Gaza while guaranteeing that Palestinians are not displaced from their homeland in the process. This comes after US President Donald Trump's insistence on displacing Palestinians from the territory and resettling them in other countries, mainly Egypt and Jordan. However, this proposal has been internationally rejected and has faced opposition from Arab governments. 

Rubio is expected to meet with senior officials in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Israeli-occupied territories. 

"Hopefully they’re going to have a really good plan to present the president," Rubio told a radio show hosted by Clay Travis and Buck Sexton.

Read more: Most Americans against Trump's plan to take over Gaza, poll reveals