CAIRO: US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Monday Washington’s support for Israel was “unshakable” but he urged its ally to do more to protect civilians as its war against Hamas brought yet more death and destruction to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
Lloyd, speaking during a visit to Israel, said Hamas was a “fanatical terrorist group” which should never again be able to make attacks on Israel from Gaza.
His visit came amid growing concern from foreign governments and international organisations over the death toll among civilians in Gaza from Israeli bombardments as well as rising hunger and destitution.
The Gaza health ministry said on Monday that 19,453 Palestinians had been killed and 52,286 wounded in the Israeli assault on the Hamas-ruled enclave in more than two months of warfare.
US defense chief in Israel in the push to ease the intensity of Gaza offensive
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to achieve total victory over Hamas, whose fighters killed 1,200 people and took 240 hostages in the surprise Oct. 7 raid into Israel that triggered the war, according to Israeli tallies.
Austin told a news conference in Tel Aviv he had discussed with Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant how to reduce harm to civilians trapped in the battlefield. They also talked about a transition from major combat to a lower-intensity conflict.
“In any campaign, there will be phases,” Austin said. “We will also continue to urge the protection of civilians during conflict and to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza,” Austin said.
While the United States provides Israel with weapons and diplomatic support, it has recently sharpened its tone towards Netanyahu’s government. Last week President Joe Biden said Israel risked losing international support because of what he called its “indiscriminate” bombing.
Austin, however, offered reassurance on Monday, saying: “American support for Israel security is unshakable. Israel is not alone.”
Gallant meanwhile said Israel would gradually transition to the next phase of its operations in Gaza and displaced people would likely be able to return first to the north of the enclave.
Austin also renewed US calls for a two-state solution to the wider Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying both Israelis and Palestinians “deserve a horizon of hope”.
Those remarks followed a meeting with Netanyahu, who over the weekend expressed pride in past opposition to the formation of a Palestinian state.