US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Qatar's leader Tuesday to ask the Gulf country to stay on as a mediator in Gaza talks, a week after Israeli warplanes attacked Hamas leaders in the emirate.

Rubio, on a brief, hastily arranged stop in Doha, shook hands with the emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in his office before entering closed-door talks with his aides.

Visiting just as Israel launched its ground offensive into Gaza City, Rubio was pessimistic about a ceasefire deal but said Qatar was in a unique position to help.

"We're going to ask Qatar to continue to do what they've done, and we appreciate very much, and that is, play a constructive role in trying to bring this to an end," Rubio told reporters as he flew out of Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport to Doha.

"Obviously they hav

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