2023-12-16 03:15:00
The Secretary of the United States Department of Defense, Lloyd Austin (Photo: Europa Press)
The Secretary of Defense of the United States, Lloyd Austin, returns to Israel this weekend as part of a tour that will also take him to Qatar and Bahrain to reaffirm Washington’s support for the Israeli Army in the war once morest the terrorist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
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The Pentagon indicated this Friday in a statement that Austin will also visit the US aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, which is located in the eastern Mediterranean near Israel and which was mobilized at the beginning of the conflict.
Austin will underscore Israel’s unwavering support in the war with Hamas, in accordance with international humanitarian law, but will also address the steps Israel is taking to mitigate civilian damage in its offensive in the Gaza Strip.
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President Joe Biden had stated this Thursday that he wants Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to focus on “how to save civilian lives”: “Not to stop going following Hamas, but to be more careful,” he told the press. .
Austin also plans to discuss with Israeli military leadership what the next steps in the conflict will be following an eventual cessation of high-intensity ground operations and airstrikes.
Lloyd Austin met with Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in Tel Aviv on October 13, 2023 (REUTERS)
A senior Pentagon official noted this Friday that conversations have been held with their Israeli counterparts regarding the different phases of their military campaign and what are “their operational milestones to feel that their population can be sufficiently secure given their stated objective of militarily dismantling Hamas.”
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Washington reminds us that although the decision on how to act rests with Israel, Austin is interested in learning more regarding its future plans.
In Bahrain, the Secretary of Defense will visit the US Central Command (Centcom), whose area of action is the Middle East, Central Asia and parts of South Asia.
The United States’ gratitude will also be expressed to Qatar for its collaboration on various regional and global objectives.
Since the attack by the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas once morest Israel on October 7, which triggered the current conflict, the Pentagon recalls that Qatar has played a crucial role in helping the United States communicate with Hamas.
“This effort is decisive in guaranteeing an agreement for the release of hostages,” the source added.
Austin spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv on October 13, 2023 (REUTERS)
With his visit to the USS Gerald R. Ford, for his part, he will bring his recognition to that aircraft carrier, which is currently in the Middle East within the framework of the United States’ efforts to prevent state and non-state actors from contributing to the escalation of the conflict.
Austin last visited Israel in mid-October, just days following the Hamas attack, which left more than 1,200 dead and nearly 240 kidnapped and taken to Gaza.
(With information from EFE)
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