Secretary of State Marco Rubio will depart Saturday for Israel and the United Kingdom on a trip framed by U.S. unease with Israel’s recent escalation in Gaza and a regional backlash against its strike in Doha.

In a State Department press note , deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott said Rubio will use the visit to “convey America’s priorities in the Israel-Hamas conflict and broader issues concerning Middle Eastern security, reaffirming the U.S. commitment to Israeli security.”

He added that Rubio, a former U.S. Senator from Miami, will underscore Washington’s shared goals with Israel: preventing Hamas from ever regaining control of Gaza and bringing home the remaining hostages.

It’s Rubio’s second reported visit to Israel since becoming Secretary of State in January . His first

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