just after warning that there is only a “short window” left to reach a ceasefire in Gaza, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio landed in Qatar on Tuesday. This came just after Israel declared it had launched the major phase of its ground assault on Gaza City.
Rubio’s visit follows days after Qatar denounced Israeli airstrikes against Hamas leaders in Doha as “cowardly and treacherous.”
Widespread worldwide condemnation of the strikes increased worries of regional escalation.
