Rubio arrives in Israel as strikes intensify in northern Gaza

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has arrived in Israel for a two-day visit, as its attacks against northern Gaza intensified.

Mr Rubio said before the trip that he will be seeking answers from Israeli officials about how they see the way forward in Gaza following Israel’s attack on Hamas operatives in Qatar that has upended efforts to broker an end to the conflict.

His visit is also a show of support for the increasingly isolated Israel as the United Nations holds what is expected to be a contentious debate on a commitment to the creation of a Palestinian state. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly opposes the recognition of a Palestinian state.

Mr Rubio’s trip went ahead despite President Donald Trump’s anger at Mr Netanyahu over the Israeli strike against Hamas leaders in Doha, which he said the United States was not notified of beforehand.

Speaking before leaving for Israel, Mr Rubio said Mr Trump remains unhappy with the Israeli strike but that it does not shake US support for Israel.

“We’re going to talk about what the future holds, and I’m going to get a much better understanding of what their plans are moving forward,” Mr Rubio said.

“Obviously we’re not happy about it. The president was not happy about it. Now we need to move forward and figure out what comes next.”

Mr Rubio and Mr Trump met on Friday with Qatar’s prime minister to discuss the fallout from the Israeli operation.

The dual, back-to-back meetings with Israel and Qatar illustrate how the Trump administration is trying to balance relations between key Middle East allies despite the attack’s widespread international condemnation.

Mr Rubio will have meetings in Jerusalem on Sunday and Monday with Mr Netanyahu and others.

It comes as at least 13 Palestinians were killed and dozens were injured in multiple Israeli strikes across Gaza.

Local hospitals said Israeli strikes targeted a vehicle near Shifa hospital and a roundabout in Gaza City, and a tent in the city of Deir al-Balah that killed at least six members of the same family.

Two parents, their three children and the children’s aunt were killed in that strike, according to the Al-Aqsa hospital. The family was from the northern town of Beit Hanoun and arrived in Deir al-Balah last week after fleeing their shelter in Gaza City

The Israeli military did not have immediate comment on the strikes.

As part of its expanding operation in Gaza City, the Israeli military destroyed a high-rise residential building on Sunday morning, less than an hour after an evacuation order posted online by military spokesman Avichay Adraee.

Residents said the Kauther tower in the Rimal neighbourhood was flattened to the ground. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

“This part of the genocidal measures the (Israeli) occupation is carrying out in Gaza City,” said Abed Ismail, a Gaza City resident. “They want to turn the whole city into rubble, and force the transfer and another Nakba.”

Israeli strongly denies accusations of genocide in Gaza.