Rubio Says U.S. and Qatar Near Deal on Defense Cooperation as He Seeks Doha’s Help With Hamas

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that the United States and Qatar were "on the verge of finalizing" an enhanced defense cooperation agreement as he prepared to visit Doha to enlist the Gulf state’s help in mediating between Israel and Hamas.

Rubio told reporters in Jerusalem that Qatar remains "the only country in the world" positioned to mediate an agreement that would demilitarize Hamas and secure the release of hostages, even as Doha is upset by Israeli airstrikes on Palestinian figures in Qatar last week. "We understand they're not happy about what happened," he said.

The secretary spoke after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem amid an intensifying Israeli bombardment of Gaza City. Rubio said U.S. ties with Israel remain firm but emphasized the administration’s view that a negotiated settlement that ends Hamas’s military capability and secures every hostage is the preferred outcome. "Our preference, our number one choice, is that this ends through a negotiated summit where Hamas says, 'We're going to demilitarize... we're going to release every single hostage,'" he said.

Rubio cautioned that the diplomatic window with Hamas is closing. "We don't have months anymore ... We probably have days, maybe a few weeks," he told reporters, underscoring the urgency of reaching an agreement before military options and momentum make negotiations more difficult.

Rubio acknowledged Qatar’s anger over the airstrikes in Doha but stressed the longstanding U.S.-Qatar partnership and the role Doha could play in de-escalation and hostage negotiations. He said the defense cooperation agreement being finalized would deepen security ties and reflects the United States’ commitment to working closely with the Gulf state.

The comments followed reports of Israeli strikes that targeted Hamas leaders in Qatar earlier last week. Qatar hosts diplomatic links with Hamas and has previously acted as an intermediary in hostage negotiations, a role Rubio reiterated Doha is uniquely able to fill. "They’re the ones that can do it. Now, I don’t know if they can after what happened, but I think they could," he said.

U.S. officials have been coordinating closely with allies in the region as Israel pursues a campaign against Hamas in Gaza, where airstrikes and ground operations have intensified. Rubio's trip to Doha, slated to be brief, comes amid efforts to preserve diplomatic channels and to push for a negotiated end to hostilities that the United States and partners say should include the disarming of Hamas.

Rubio framed the negotiations as time-sensitive and tied to broader U.S. objectives of regional stability and protection of civilians. He said the United States would continue to support Israel’s security needs while also seeking a path that averts further civilian suffering in Gaza and secures the return of hostages.

The secretary’s remarks follow a pattern of U.S. engagement with Qatar, which hosts significant U.S. military facilities and has been a key interlocutor with various groups in the region. Rubio’s visit is intended to advance the defense cooperation agreement and test Doha’s willingness and ability to resume a mediating role after the recent strikes.

Details of the proposed defense cooperation agreement were not disclosed. Rubio said only that negotiations were at an advanced stage and that formalization was imminent as he departed Israel for Qatar. The outcome of his visit could affect both the operational relationship between Washington and Doha and the prospects for a diplomatic route to resolve parts of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Reporting from Jerusalem and the region contributed to this account.