US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Israeli Secretary Yoav Galant meet at the Pentagon (Reuters)
Discussions began at the Pentagon headquarters in Washington between US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Israeli Secretary Yoav Galant, in a context of tension between Tel Aviv and Washington, due to America’s reluctance to use its veto to prevent the issuance of a Security Council resolution calling for an “immediate halt.” to fire” in the Gaza Strip.
The US Secretary of Defense said that the United States will not rest "until all the Israeli hostages return" from Gaza, adding that Washington's goal is to make Israel and the region safer and more peaceful, considering at the same time that protecting Palestinian civilians is a moral necessity and a strategic imperative.
Austin also told his Israeli counterpart that the toll of civilian casualties in Gaza was "very high," stressing that alternatives were being considered for an expected major Israeli military operation in Rafah.
He added, "In Gaza today, the number of civilian casualties is very high and the amount of humanitarian aid is very low."
A senior Pentagon official said that Austin urged Gallant to strengthen aid outlets into Gaza, and the need to give priority to protecting civilians.
For his part, Gallant said that he would discuss with Minister Austin what he described as the growing threat on the northern front, and cooperation that guarantees Israel’s qualitative military superiority. He stressed that Israel is fighting on several fronts, and that it will not rest until it “recovers all the kidnapped people” in Gaza.
The Israeli Defense Minister also said that he had previously discussed with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken Israel's continued military action "to dismantle Hamas and the measures that would lead to the collapse of its rule in Gaza."
Gallant confirmed - after his talks with Blinken in Washington - that the killing in Gaza will not stop until all detainees in the Strip are returned.
Confronting Hamas
On the other hand, the White House said on Tuesday that White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan held talks with the Israeli Defense Minister for the second day in a row.
White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Air Force One, while US President Joe Biden was on his way to North Carolina, that Sullivan and Gallant continued their talks that began yesterday, Monday, regarding Israel’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza.
A separate Israeli delegation was scheduled to visit Washington to discuss American concerns about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plans to launch an attack on the city of Rafah, where most Gazans have taken refuge.
But Israel canceled the visit after the United States abstained from voting yesterday, Monday, during a session in which, in the absence of an American veto, a draft UN Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza was approved.
In a parallel context, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said that the relationship between Israel and the United States is close, describing the military cooperation with Washington since the beginning of the war on the Gaza Strip as unprecedented.
Smotrich added that Israel will not surrender to international pressure, and that the Israeli army will enter Rafah to dismantle the Hamas brigades, as he put it.
For his part, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said that his country is required to enter Rafah now, and pointed out that Israel has previously fought several wars without American support, according to what Israeli Army Radio reported.
Source: Al Jazeera + agencies