Daijiworld Media Network – Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv, Feb 16: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Israel on Saturday night, marking the first stop of his Middle East tour amid rising global criticism over Washington’s stance on Gaza.

Rubio’s visit comes in the wake of a controversial proposal by US President Donald Trump, who suggested relocating Gaza’s 2.2 million Palestinians and redeveloping the region as the "Riviera of the Middle East." The plan, first hinted at on January 25, faced immediate rejection from Egypt and Jordan. Trump's February 4 announcement, made after talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, further intensified global outrage, with critics labeling it an attempt at ethnic cleansing.

The ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict has left devastating consequences. Israel’s military offensive, now halted by a fragile ceasefire, has claimed over 47,000 Palestinian lives in the past 16 months, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The war has displaced nearly all of Gaza’s residents, triggering a humanitarian crisis. Meanwhile, the conflict began with Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which killed 1,200 people and saw 250 taken hostage.

During his visit, Rubio will engage in discussions on Gaza, the October 7 attack, and Trump’s efforts to reshape the region’s political landscape, according to a US State Department official.