US Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to examine the aftermath of an Israeli strike in Qatar opposed by Washington and its effects on efforts for a Gaza truce.

Rubio scheduled the solidarity visit a week before a French-led summit at the United Nations to recognise a Palestinian state, a prospect fervently opposed by Netanyahu's right-wing government.

But President Donald Trump's administration was caught off guard last week when Israel carried out an attack in Qatar, home to the region's largest US air base, against Hamas leaders who were meeting to discuss a new US ceasefire proposal for Gaza.

"Obviously we're not happy about it. The president was not happy about it. Now we need to move forward and figure out what comes next," Ru

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