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US defence secretary Lloyd Austin told top Israeli leaders on Monday that protecting civilians was a “strategic imperative” for their ground and air campaign in Gaza, as pressure grows on Israel to scale back the war. Austin, making his second visit to Israel since the deadly Hamas-led October 7 attacks, met with Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu, defence minister, Yoav Gallant, and other top officials to discuss in detail how Israeli forces will transition to the next phase of the war.
Gallant acknowledged that Israeli officials were discussing the next part of the conflict, although he did not offer details and emphasised that Israel had “no clock” running on the end of its campaign. “Soon, we will be able to distinguish between different areas in Gaza,” he said. “In every area where we achieve our mission, we will be able to transition gradually to the next phase and start working on bringing back the local population.” That could “be achieved maybe sooner in the north than in the south,” he said – but warned that he was only trying to convey “an idea of what we are discussing.”
Asked about the timeline of Israel’s campaign – a subject of discussions among US officials in recent days – Austin said, “this is Israel’s operation, and I’m not here to dictate timelines or terms.” He added that US support for Israel’s right to defend itself was “ironclad” and “not going to change.”
The US envisions that the next phase would involve smaller groups of elite forces that would move in and out of population centers in Gaza, conducting more precise, intelligence-driven missions to find and kill Hamas leaders, rescue hostages and destroy tunnels.
Speaking to reporters after daylong meetings in Tel Aviv, Austin called US support for Israel “unshakable”, and endorsed Israel’s campaign to destroy Hamas’s ability to wage military operations. But he also repeated a message he has often made of late: Israel would be left less secure if its combat operations turn more Palestinians in support of Hamas. “Israel has every right to defend itself,” he said, standing alongside Gallant. “As I’ve said, protecting Palestinian civilians in Gaza is both a moral duty and a strategic imperative.” Austin’s comments came a day after Netanyahu vowed to “fight to the end” in Gaza.
In the latest bombardments, 90 Palestinians died in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza on Sunday, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry.
Gallant acknowledged that Israeli officials were discussing the next part of the conflict, although he did not offer details and emphasised that Israel had “no clock” running on the end of its campaign. “Soon, we will be able to distinguish between different areas in Gaza,” he said. “In every area where we achieve our mission, we will be able to transition gradually to the next phase and start working on bringing back the local population.” That could “be achieved maybe sooner in the north than in the south,” he said – but warned that he was only trying to convey “an idea of what we are discussing.”
Asked about the timeline of Israel’s campaign – a subject of discussions among US officials in recent days – Austin said, “this is Israel’s operation, and I’m not here to dictate timelines or terms.” He added that US support for Israel’s right to defend itself was “ironclad” and “not going to change.”
The US envisions that the next phase would involve smaller groups of elite forces that would move in and out of population centers in Gaza, conducting more precise, intelligence-driven missions to find and kill Hamas leaders, rescue hostages and destroy tunnels.
Speaking to reporters after daylong meetings in Tel Aviv, Austin called US support for Israel “unshakable”, and endorsed Israel’s campaign to destroy Hamas’s ability to wage military operations. But he also repeated a message he has often made of late: Israel would be left less secure if its combat operations turn more Palestinians in support of Hamas. “Israel has every right to defend itself,” he said, standing alongside Gallant. “As I’ve said, protecting Palestinian civilians in Gaza is both a moral duty and a strategic imperative.” Austin’s comments came a day after Netanyahu vowed to “fight to the end” in Gaza.
In the latest bombardments, 90 Palestinians died in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza on Sunday, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry.
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