Joint assessment on Gaza from Israeli and US defense ministers

Austin, who visited Israel with US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Charles Brown and attended a meeting with the Israeli government's War Cabinet, appeared before cameras with Gallant following their meetings in Tel Aviv.

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Joint assessment on Gaza from Israeli and US defense ministers

Austin stated, "The US support for Israel is unwavering, and Israel is not alone."

"Protecting civilians in Gaza is both a moral duty and a strategic imperative," Austin said, while arguing that Gaza is a "complex, densely populated battlefield" and that "this makes conducting any military operation very difficult."

Claiming that Hamas uses civilians as human shields, Austin said, "This adds to the complexity. It requires a very professional force, and that force needs to learn every step of the way."

Stating that he and Gallant discussed the "techniques changed" by the Israeli military in its ongoing attacks in southern Gaza today, the US Secretary said, "We are all learning. (The Israeli military) has drawn lessons from the north and applied some of those lessons in the south, and I am sure that will continue."

Austin did not comment on what specific lessons Israel has learned, nor did he clarify whether this meant the Israeli military was targeting Gazan civilians.

"ISRAEL IS SHAPING THE WAR PLAN"

Gallant stated that Israel and the US are having "transparent and candid discussions" regarding the course of the war, adding, "We share everything with each other."

Claiming that the Israeli military has achieved "meaningful" successes in its attacks in Gaza, Gallant asserted, "However, eliminating Hamas leadership is still an ongoing goal. We hope it will happen soon, but it will be achieved."

Regarding when the war in Gaza will end, Gallant said that "Israel is shaping the war plan" to achieve its goals in Gaza, stating, "Ultimately, there is no countdown, and we are not obligated to adhere to a specific day."

Gallant said that the Israeli military "will continue to operate at different levels of intensity depending on the situation on the ground," adding that "they could gradually move to the next phase and likely start working to bring back the local Gazan population, starting from the north first."

News Source: AA