Israel Escalates Gaza Offensive After Rubio’s Pledge of Unwavering U.S. Support
JERUSALEM, Sept 16 — The skies over Gaza City thundered once again as Israel launched a fresh and intense wave of bombardments just hours after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stood firmly by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, offering full American backing for the ongoing military offensive aimed at dismantling Hamas.
Rubio’s visit—marked by unwavering support—sent a clear message. “Israel can count on our unwavering support,” he declared, standing beside Netanyahu, who has ramped up his campaign in Gaza following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that killed 1,219 people in Israel.
That very night, reports poured in of “relentless bombing” over Gaza City. Eyewitnesses described apocalyptic scenes: flattened buildings, buried families, and the haunting cries of those trapped beneath the rubble.
“We can hear their screams,” said Ahmed Ghazal, a 25-year-old resident of Gaza City. “But we can’t reach them.”
The offensive comes at a time when diplomatic lines are fraying. Rubio’s visit to Israel came just days after U.S. President Donald Trump warned Israel against further airstrikes in Qatar—a key U.S. ally. Yet Rubio, dismissing ceasefire talks brokered by Qatar, called Hamas “barbaric animals,” reaffirming Israel’s military campaign.
Meanwhile, humanitarian concerns grow. The UN recently reported that over a million people in Gaza are on the brink of famine—a claim Israel disputes. But the rising death toll is hard to ignore. Gaza’s civil defense agency reported 49 people killed just on Monday. Khan Yunis, in the south, was also struck heavily.
Israel’s airstrikes have so far killed over 64,900 people, according to Gaza’s health ministry—most of them civilians. The figure, while disputed by some, has been deemed reliable by the United Nations. The human cost is becoming unbearable for a region already wounded and worn down.
Rubio’s visit came just days before France is expected to push for Palestinian statehood recognition at an upcoming UN summit. Netanyahu opposes the move, threatening “unilateral steps” in response, while some members of his far-right cabinet call for outright annexation of the occupied West Bank—provoking diplomatic protests even from allies like the UAE.
In a controversial move, Rubio participated in the inauguration of a tunnel beneath the Palestinian neighbourhood of Silwan—a gesture loaded with political symbolism. Local community leader Fakhri Abu Diab voiced deep concern:
“Instead of coming to see our destroyed homes, he celebrated a tunnel. The U.S. is standing with extremism while ignoring our history.”
A Better Future?
As Rubio proclaimed in a press conference, “The people of Gaza deserve a better future.”
But as bombs fall and families grieve, the question many ask is: When will that future begin?
True peace cannot be born from rubble. True justice cannot rise from the cries of innocent lives caught between political rhetoric and military might.
In the end, beyond geopolitics and policies, there are people—children, mothers, fathers—whose only crime is where they were born.
Let us not lose our humanity while debating borders and power. Let us not forget the real cost of war: lives destroyed, dreams lost, generations traumatized.