The Israeli military continued to pound the Gaza Strip on Sunday as it pushed closer to seizing Gaza City, seeking to bring an almost two-year-long war to a close. The campaign has already reshaped regional politics. Days after what appears to have been a failed Israeli attempt to assassinate Hamas’ senior leadership in Qatar, a strike carried out in the capital of the war’s chief mediator could trigger further geopolitical shifts.
Also Sunday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Israel. Before departing, Rubio told reporters he would seek a “better understanding of what … the plans are moving forward.”
The US administration, led by President Donald Trump, expressed dismay over the Israeli strike in Qatar while reiterating support for Israel.
Hamas cannot continue to exist if peace in the region is the goal
“Hamas cannot continue to exist if peace in the region is the goal,” Rubio posted on social media over the weekend.
In early August, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Israel’s intent to complete the capture of Gaza City, describing it as the last major Hamas stronghold.
“There are signs that Israel’s intention in this operation is different than in previous ones and that it aims to occupy Gaza City and turn it unusable for Hamas’ purposes,” Dr. Yagil Henkin, an expert on military history and urban warfare from Shalem College and the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, told The Media Line. “The widespread evacuation calls and the movement of the civilian population away from the city indicate they believe it is an imminent and serious threat.”
The Israeli military estimates that about a quarter of the city’s roughly 1 million residents have already left.
Henkin also points to the visible effort by the Israeli military in recent days to destroy high-rise buildings in Gaza City.
Over the weekend, Palestinians reported dozens killed in continuous Israeli airstrikes in Gaza. Strikes intensified, and images of high-rises collapsing flooded media channels. Israel says the buildings were used by Hamas as command hubs, while Palestinians and many in the international community accuse Israel of an overly aggressive campaign.
High-rise buildings are a nightmare in terms of urban warfare, and those that are not destroyed become scenes of harsh battles for days
“High-rise buildings are a nightmare in terms of urban warfare, and those that are not destroyed become scenes of harsh battles for days,” said Henkin. “They are a nightmare to conquer and require a lot of manpower. These buildings are used as watchtowers and sniper positions. They are also ideal positions for launching anti-tank missiles.”
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According to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, over 64,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the war.
The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise offensive on southern Israel. Approximately 1,200 Israelis were killed that day, and thousands more were injured. About 250 people were taken into captivity; most have since been released in temporary cease-fire deals. According to the Israel Defense Forces, 460 soldiers have been killed since the ground operation began in the Gaza Strip.
Inside Israel, calls to end the war have grown. Netanyahu’s opponents argue that ending the fighting is the surest path to freeing the remaining hostages. At the outset, the government set two goals: to remove Hamas as a governing and military force in Gaza and secure the hostages’ release.
The war’s duration has raised questions about its effectiveness. Israel’s foundational security doctrine has long favored short wars; this one has departed from that model.
One of Israel’s biggest challenges remains Hamas’ extensive underground tunnel network built over two decades.
“It is the largest tunnel infrastructure in military history,” said Henkin. “Underground warfare is a major headache that no army wishes to face, and no army really knew how to before.”
“In addition, there are large areas which the army did not enter in fear of harming the hostages,” Henkin added. “Israel is faced with the constant dilemma of how to dismantle Hamas without hurting the hostages.”
Since October 2023, efforts to reach a cease-fire have continued. Upon taking office, President Trump made ending the war and securing the release of the 48 Israeli hostages still held by Hamas a priority; at least half are presumed dead.
Rubio and President Trump met Friday with Qatar’s prime minister to discuss the fallout from Israel’s operation in Doha. Qatar and other Arab states viewed the targeted strike as a violation of Qatar’s sovereignty. Those meetings signaled Washington’s effort to maintain a delicate balance among its regional allies, many of whom are bitter rivals.
It was definitely a gamble on Israel’s part
“It was definitely a gamble on Israel’s part,” Dr. Ariel Admoni, an expert on Qatar from Bar-Ilan University, told The Media Line. “Israel was hoping that this move would be a game-changer, and it still can be, even if it was unsuccessful, if Israel indicates it is willing to strike again if it feels it needs to.”
“Coupled with the operation in Gaza, there is potential for change,” he added.
Admoni believes Qatar will still seek to lead mediation between Israel and Hamas. Israeli media reports after the strike quoted families of hostages saying they received calls from senior Qatari officials reaffirming that role.
In the aftermath, Arab countries appeared to rally behind Qatar to counter Israeli influence. Israel’s ambassador to the United Arab Emirates was summoned to the Foreign Ministry in Abu Dhabi for a reprimand last week, part of a broader wave of condemnations.
On Monday, Qatar will host an emergency Arab-Islamic summit following the strike, which alarmed many in the Arab world, including countries with diplomatic ties to Israel. Several Arab outlets reported that some states are promoting a defense pact, similar to NATO, to contain Israeli military action.
“Similar attempts in previous years to respond to violations of sovereignty have failed,” Dr. Moran Zaga, an expert on the Gulf at the University of Haifa and MIND Israel, told The Media Line. “But merely bringing it up and creating an image of a united front is a major diplomatic blow to Israel, leading to its further isolation and causing enough damage.”
Since the war began in October 2023, Israel’s military has conducted operations in Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Yemen, and Iraq.
Relations between Israel and the UAE, established five years ago, have been rocky since Netanyahu’s current government took office in late 2022. The coalition’s far-right makeup has kept the Emiratis cautious.
Calls by Netanyahu’s senior coalition partners to declare Israeli sovereignty over parts of the West Bank—territory many in the international community, including the UAE, view as central to a future Palestinian state—have further strained ties. Proposals during the war to occupy the whole Gaza Strip and re-establish Jewish settlements have added pressure.
“We could see major steps taken to express that rage,” said Zaga. “From calling the ambassador back, to closing airspace or stopping commercial flights by Emirati companies, we might also see investments being withdrawn. This is the continuation of a gradual deterioration of the relationships, in which the incident in Qatar was just a catalyst.”
“The government is seen as a destabilizer in the region,” said Zaga.
Reports indicated Arab countries were also weighing sanctions against Israel, including boycotts, diplomatic measures, and downgrading economic cooperation.
Egypt, which signed a peace treaty with Israel more than 40 years ago, is reportedly considering scaling down security cooperation with the Jewish state.
“Qatar wants to see bombastic statements on Monday, and it might pressure Egypt to announce it is reconsidering its peace treaty with Israel,” said Admoni, who believes Qatar will leverage its influence over Egypt and Cairo’s need for economic support from Doha. “Qatar believes that it is possible Israel may strike its territory again and wants to see a show of hands in its support.”
During a period of rapid change, regional alignments appear to be shifting. For now, Israel is brushing off international pressure to stop the war and seems unfazed by Arab attempts to squeeze it as the campaign in Gaza moves forward.