United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has told reporters that Qatar is the only country to mediate an end to Israel's war on Gaza, as he departed Israel on his way to the Qatari capital, where Gulf states on Monday pledged to activate the joint defence pact as Arab and Islamic leaders stood in solidarity following Israel's brazen attack on the Hamas leadership inside the country.
Israel said it would respond to the deal last week, but has yet to contact mediators, days past its own deadline. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu talks with reporters before a bipartisan meeting with senate leaders in the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, July 9, 2025. Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images Israel missed its own deadline to respond to a temporary ceasefire and captive release deal that Hamas accepted over a week ago, with Israeli authorities appearing "unwilling" to accept the framework despite Hamas saying that the agreement contains significant concessions in Israel's favor.