Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant described the blow received by Israel from the Palestinian resistance as very harsh, while his US counterpart Lloyd Austin pledged more military support to Israel to strengthen its capabilities to confront the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).
Gallant said after a meeting with Austin in Tel Aviv on Friday that the war will be long and will come at a price, adding: "Our enemy is Hamas, which is similar to ISIS and has the support of Iran, our enemies want to destroy us, and the war will be long and cruel but we will win."
He stressed that "Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas are one axis, and Tehran is the one who gives money and gives the green light," noting that "1200,<> Israelis were brutally killed last week, and Hamas went on evil."
As Israel prepares for a possible ground offensive on the territory, Galant said, "We have asked civilians in Gaza to go south to limit the damage," and said that US support guarantees his country "freedom of movement and strengthening their capabilities," and that the goal is to "get Hamas out of Gaza."
For his part, Austin said that US support for Israel is solid, and that Washington will make sure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself, adding that America has reinforced squadrons of American fighter jets in the Middle East, and the US Department of Defense is fully prepared to deploy additional assets if necessary.
Regarding the expansion of the conflict in the region, Austin said that "sending the aircraft carrier Gerald Ford to the region is a strong message of deterrence, and we warn any party thinking of expanding the conflict," and stressed that more aid is on its way to Israel.
Regarding Israel's readiness for war, he said, "We will still be able to provide the necessary resources for multiple theaters of operations, the Israeli forces are professional and disciplined and I expect them to continue at the same level, and what we are focused on now is to make sure that Israel has the ability to protect itself."
Austin stressed the close coordination with Israel to release Hamas prisoners, adding that "there is no justification for terrorism or the massacre committed by Hamas, which does not reflect the aspirations of the Palestinian people," noting that "Hamas' brutality reminds me of the Islamic State for deliberately targeting civilians, and this is a time of determination and not revenge."
Part of the press conference in Tel Aviv (Anatolia)
At dawn last Saturday, the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and other Palestinian factions in Gaza launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood in response to the continuous attacks by Israeli forces and settlers against the Palestinian people, their properties and holy sites, especially the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem.
The Israeli army has launched Operation Iron Swords and continues to carry out intensive raids on several areas in the Gaza Strip, home to more than two million Palestinians suffering from deteriorating living conditions as a result of the Israeli blockade that has been ongoing since 2006.