Israel Escalates Strikes on Gaza as U.S. Secretary of State Visits the Region

Amid rising tensions in the Middle East, Israel has launched a wave of airstrikes on Gaza City, destroying dozens of residential buildings and forcing thousands to flee. The escalation coincides with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s three-day visit to Israel on September 14 to discuss the future of the conflict.

Israel Signals Plan to Seize Gaza City

According to AFP, Israel declared its intention to seize Gaza City as part of its stated objective to “eliminate” Hamas. Israeli ground forces have been active in the eastern suburbs for weeks, reducing entire districts to rubble while advancing closer to central and western areas where many displaced civilians have taken shelter.

Local authorities reported at least 45 deaths on September 14 alone, most of them in Gaza City. Hamas said Israeli attacks since mid-August have destroyed more than 1,600 residential buildings and 13,000 tents.

U.S. Diplomatic Push and Regional Talks

During his visit, Secretary Rubio is expected to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and address Washington’s priority of securing the release of 48 hostages still held by Hamas—only around 20 are believed to be alive.

The trip comes shortly after Israel carried out a controversial strike on September 9 in Doha, Qatar, targeting Hamas leaders. U.S. officials described the move as a unilateral escalation that served neither American nor Israeli interests. Days later, Rubio and President Donald Trump met Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani in New York.

On September 15, Qatar will host an emergency Arab-Islamic summit to discuss next steps in the conflict.

Humanitarian Crisis Deepens

Aid organizations warn that an Israeli takeover of Gaza City would trigger a catastrophic humanitarian crisis for civilians already facing widespread malnutrition.

The local health ministry reported that two more Palestinian children died of malnutrition in the past 24 hours, raising Gaza’s famine-related death toll to at least 422, including 145 children. Although Israel eased restrictions to allow limited aid shipments since late July, the United Nations insists that far greater efforts are needed to meet urgent needs.

Wider Regional Risks

The conflict also risks inflaming tensions beyond Gaza. On September 13, Prime Minister Netanyahu signed a deal to expand settlements in the West Bank, prompting the United Arab Emirates to warn that the move could undermine the Abraham Accords—the U.S.-brokered agreements that normalized relations between Israel and several Arab states.

Meanwhile, many Gaza families remain unwilling or unable to leave despite Israel’s calls for evacuation. They argue that designated “safe zones” in the south lack capacity and security.

“Bombing is everywhere, our tents are destroyed, and more than twenty families have no place to go,” said Musbah al-Kafarna, a displaced resident of Gaza City.