US, Israel discuss Gaza operations, hostage release in tense phone call

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a phone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, focusing on Israel’s ongoing military operations in the Gaza Strip.

According to a statement from US State Department, the discussions also touched on efforts to secure the release of hostages and bring them home safely, Caliber.Az reports.

During the call, Rubio emphasized US support for Israel, reiterating the Trump administration’s commitment to restoring freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. He also underscored US determination to counter the threat posed by Yemen’s Houthi group through military operations, aiming to stabilize the region.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military confirmed a deadly strike on a hospital in southern Gaza, which resulted in the deaths of at least two Palestinians and injured several others. According to the military’s statement, the operation targeted a senior Hamas member. The group identified the victim as Ismail Barhoum, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, who was killed while being treated at the Nasser Medical Hospital in Khan Younis.

Since launching an aerial campaign against Gaza on March 18, Israel’s military operations have resulted in the deaths of over 700 Palestinians, with more than 1,000 others injured. These strikes have shattered a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that had been in effect since January.

The violence, which has escalated since October 2023, has led to a catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where more than 50,000 Palestinians—primarily women and children—have been killed, and over 113,200 have been injured.

By Vafa Guliyeva