US Defense Secretary Austin has called on the Israeli government to provide more humanitarian aid to the civilian population in the Gaza Strip. At the same time, he promised further support in the fight against Hamas.
During his visit to Israel, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he discussed a transition to less intensive, “more surgical” operations. In every war there are phases, Austin told the press. Detailed, well-thought-out planning is required.
Austin met with Israeli Defense Minister Joav Gallant and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. He called for more humanitarian aid for the Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip. It’s about how the US can best support Israel on the path to lasting security, Austin was quoted as saying by the Israeli government’s press office. “And that means we need to address urgent needs and provide more humanitarian assistance to the nearly two million displaced people in Gaza and better distribute that assistance,” he said.
Aid deliveries directly from Israel
Israeli Defense Minister Joav Gallant emphasized that Israel would gradually move to the “next phase” of the military operation in Gaza. The people who fled the north could then probably return there.
Since yesterday, for the first time since the beginning of the war, trucks carrying aid deliveries have been rolling from Israeli soil directly into the Gaza Strip. Yesterday there were said to be 79 trucks. Israel agreed to open the Kerem Shalom border crossing with the Gaza Strip.
Until then, since the beginning of the war, all aid deliveries from Egypt had been transported to the Gaza Strip via the Rafah border crossing. However, this border crossing has significantly less capacity than Kerem Shalom. The pressure on the Israeli government to reopen it had recently increased massively.
Austin pledges support to Israel
Austin said the development of the Gaza Strip without Hamas was also a topic of discussion. Radical Islamists should never again be able to spread terror into Israel from the Palestinian territory.
He emphasized that the USA would continue to provide military support to Israel in its fight against the militant Islamist Hamas. Washington is Israel’s greatest friend and will continue to supply ammunition, tactical vehicles and air defense systems. But his visit was not intended to dictate “timetables or conditions” for the war, Austin said.
At the joint press conference with Austin, Gallant also warned the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah of further escalation on the Lebanese-Israeli border. His country will not hesitate to act if there is no calm at the border. Israel expects Hezbollah to abide by a ceasefire agreed in 2006 that called for the militia to stay away from the border.
“USA will ensure freedom of navigation”
Citing attacks on ships in the Red Sea by Hamas-allied Yemeni Houthi rebels, Austin said the United States would work with navies from other countries to ensure freedom of navigation. “Iran’s support for Houthi attacks on merchant ships must stop,” he warned in the direction of Tehran.
The day before, he had been to Kuwait and Bahrain on a multi-day trip to various countries in the region. Qatar, which mediated the conflict between Israel and Hamas, was also on Austin’s travel itinerary.
Negotiations over hostages in Poland
Meanwhile, negotiations over the release of hostages kidnapped from Israel continue in Warsaw. CIA chief William Burns advocated for the release of the hostages at a meeting with the director of the Israeli secret service Mossad, David Barnea, and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
A representative of the US government, who wished to remain anonymous, reported on the meeting in the Polish capital. It was the first known meeting of this round since talks were broken off shortly after a ceasefire lasting several days in the Gaza Strip expired at the beginning of December. 129 hostages are known to be currently being held in the Gaza Strip.
However, Hamas reiterated that there would be no negotiations on an exchange of hostages and prisoners until Israel stopped its attacks in the Gaza Strip. “We are open to initiatives from Qatar and Egypt for a hostage exchange that would end the war in Gaza,” said Hamas representative Osama Hamdan in Beirut.
With information from Nadja Armbrust, ARD Tel Aviv