Rubio arrives in Israel as Israeli strikes intensify in northern Gaza : NPR

JERUSALEM (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Israel on Sunday, as Israel intensified its assaults in opposition to northern Gaza, flattening one other high-rise constructing and killing no less than 12 Palestinians.

Rubio mentioned forward of the journey that he can be in search of solutions from Israeli officers about how they see the way in which ahead in Gaza following Israel’s assault on Hamas operatives in Qatar final week that upended efforts to dealer an finish to the battle.

His two-day go to can be a present of assist for the more and more remoted Israel because the United Nations holds what is predicted to be a contentious debate on dedication to the creation of a Palestinian state. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly opposes the popularity of a Palestinian state.

Rubio’s go to went forward regardless of President Donald Trump’s anger at Netanyahu over the Israeli strike in opposition to Hamas leaders in Doha, which he mentioned the US was not notified of beforehand.

On Friday, Rubio and Trump met with Qatar’s prime minister to debate the fallout from the Israeli operation. The twin, back-to-back conferences with Israel and Qatar illustrate how Trump administration is making an attempt to steadiness relations between key Center East allies regardless of the assault’s widespread worldwide condemnation.

The Doha assault additionally and seems to have ended makes an attempt to safe an Israel-Hamas ceasefire and the discharge of hostages forward of the upcoming U.N. Common Meeting session, at which the Gaza conflict is predicted to be a main focus.

On Sunday, no less than 13 Palestinians have been killed and dozens have been wounded in a number of Israeli strikes throughout Gaza, in keeping with native hospitals.

Native hospitals mentioned Israeli strikes focused a automobile close to Shifa hospital and a roundabout in Gaza Metropolis, and a tent within the metropolis of Deir al-Balah that killed no less than six members of the identical household.

Two mother and father, their three youngsters and the youngsters’s aunt have been killed in that strike, in keeping with the Al-Aqsa hospital. The household was from the northern city of Beit Hanoun, and arrived in Deir al-Balah final week after fleeing their shelter in Gaza Metropolis

The Israeli navy didn’t have fast touch upon the strikes.

Smoke rises after an Israeli navy strike on a constructing in Gaza Metropolis, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025.

Yousef Al Zanoun/AP

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Yousef Al Zanoun/AP

As a part of its increasing operation in Gaza Metropolis, the Israeli navy destroyed a high-rise residential constructing on Sunday morning, lower than an hour after an evacuation order posted on-line by the navy spokesman Avichay Adraee.

Residents mentioned mentioned the Kauther tower within the Rimal neighborhood was flattened to the bottom. There have been no fast stories of casualties.

“This a part of the genocidal measures the (Israeli) occupation is finishing up in Gaza Metropolis,” mentioned Abed Ismail, a Gaza Metropolis resident. “They wish to flip the entire metropolis into rubble, and drive the switch and one other Nakba.”

Israeli strongly denies accusations of genocide in Gaza.

Individually, two Palestinian adults died of causes associated to malnutrition and hunger within the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours, the territory’s well being ministry reported Sunday.

That has introduced the demise toll from malnutrition-related causes to 277 since late June, when the ministry began to rely fatalities amongst this age class, whereas one other 145 youngsters died of malnutrition-related causes for the reason that begin of the conflict in October 2023, the ministry mentioned.

The conflict in Gaza started when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, abducting 251 individuals and killing some 1,200, largely civilians. There are nonetheless 48 hostages remaining in Gaza, of whom 20 Israel believes are nonetheless alive.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed no less than 64,803 Palestinians, in keeping with Gaza’s Well being Ministry, which doesn’t say what number of have been civilians or combatants. It says round half of these killed have been girls and kids. Giant components of main cities have been utterly destroyed and round 90% of some 2 million Palestinians have been displaced.