US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is heading to Israel this weekend to reaffirm Washington's support, even as global anger mounts over "Israel's" devastation of Gaza and its unprecedented strike in Qatar targeting Hamas leaders engaged in ceasefire deliberations.

The strike in Doha, a country hosting the US Al-Udeid Air Base and serving as a hub of American diplomacy, has shaken the region. According to reports, five Hamas officials and a Qatari security officer were killed. "Israel" claimed it had informed Washington beforehand, but Qatari officials denied prior notice.

US President Donald Trump called the incident unfortunate and said the United States found out too late to stop it. The White House insisted an envoy had tried to notify Doha in advance, but the apparent lapse has raised questions about US credibility among Gulf allies.

The controversy is amplified by Qatar's recent deepening of ties with Washington. Only months ago, Doha pledged more than a trillion dollars in economic commitments with the US, alongside its continued role as mediator in Gaza ceasefire negotiations.

Analysts in the Gulf are calling the episode a betrayal, warning that "Israel's" ability to strike inside a key US partner's territory without consequence undermines confidence in American security guarantees.

Read more: UAE summons head of Israeli Mission over Doha aggression

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Despite this diplomatic storm, Rubio is pressing ahead. After meeting Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the White House, where Trump reportedly assured that such an incident "will not happen again on their soil," Rubio will travel to "Israel."

State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said his mission is to push back against "anti-Israel actions, including unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state that rewards Hamas terrorism." He added that Rubio will also meet with families of hostages and stress Washington's objective of ensuring Hamas "never rules over Gaza again."

Recognition Momentum Builds

France, meanwhile, is moving in the opposite direction. Paris is currently leading preparations for a September 22 UN summit at which several Western states are expected to recognize a Palestinian state based on the West Bank.

On a related note, Britain, France, and Germany jointly demanded on Friday an "immediate" halt to "Israel's" latest campaign to seize Gaza City, warning of catastrophic displacement in a territory already flattened by bombardment.

Read more: UN GA endorses New York Declaration on 'two-state solution'

Rubio may also take part in the inauguration of a tunnel in occupied al-Quds' Old City that leads to the Al-Aqsa compound, a move Palestinians and rights groups see as an attempt to cement Israel's illegal sovereignty claims over one of the most sensitive and sacred sites in the world.

"Israel" has maintained its occupation and unlawful annexation of East al-Quds since the 1967 war, insisting it is its "indivisible capital," a position rejected by nearly every country. Trump's earlier decision to move the US embassy to al-Quds, in defiance of international law, and Washington's silence on expanding settlements further entrenched the dispossession of Palestinians.

Netanyahu underscored that agenda on Thursday, declaring at the launch of a new settlement project that there would never be a Palestinian state and asserting: "this place belongs to us."