Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin was expected to press Israel to wind down major combat operations in Gaza on a visit Monday, in the latest test of whether the U.S. can leverage its unwavering support for the offensive to blunt its devastating impact on Palestinian civilians.
France, the U.K. and Germany, some of Israel’s closest allies, joined global calls for a cease-fire over the weekend, and Israeli protesters have demanded the government relaunch talks with the militant group on releasing more hostages after three were mistakenly killed by Israeli troops while waving a white flag.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that Israel will keep fighting until it removes Hamas from power, crushes its still-formidable military capabilities and returns the roughly 129 hostages still held by the group after its Oct. 7 attack, which ignited the war.
The U.S. has vetoed international calls for a cease-fire and rushed munitions to its close ally while pressing it to take greater steps to avoid harming civilians. The 10-week-old war against Hamas has killed over 18,700 Palestinians and transformed much of northern Gaza into a moonscape.
Some 1.9 million Palestinians — nearly 85% of Gaza’s population — have fled their homes, with most packing into U.N.-run shelters and tent camps in the southern part of the besieged territory.
Austin, who is traveling with Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. CQ Brown, is expected to press Israeli leaders to transition to a more precise phase, with targeted operations aimed at killing Hamas leaders, destroying tunnels and rescuing hostages.
Under U.S. pressure, Israel provided more precise evacuation instructions as troops moved into the southern city of Khan Younis earlier this month, though Palestinians say nowhere in Gaza is safe as Israel continues to carry out strikes in all parts of the territory.
Israel also reopened its main cargo crossing with Gaza to allow more aid into the territory — another U.S. request. But the amount entering is still less than half of prewar imports, even as needs have soared, and U.N. agencies say the fighting in the south hinders delivery in many areas.
UNPRECEDENTED DEATH AND DESTRUCTION
The war began with an unprecedented surprise attack by Hamas that overwhelmed Israel’s border defenses. Thousands of militants rampaged across southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 240 men, women and children.
Hamas and other militants are still holding an estimated 129 captives after most of the rest were freed in return for Israel’s release of 240 Palestinian prisoners during a truce last month. Hamas has said no more hostages will be released until the war ends. In response to the Oct. 7 attack, Israel launched one of the 21st century’s deadliest air and ground offensives.
More than 18,700 Palestinians have been killed, the Health Ministry in the Hamas-run territory said Thursday in its last update before a communications blackout that only lifted late Sunday. It says thousands more casualties are buried under the rubble. The ministry does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths, but has said that most of those killed were women and children.
Israel’s military says 126 of its soldiers have been killed in the Gaza offensive. It says it has killed thousands of militants, without providing evidence.
Israel blames the civilian deaths on Hamas, saying it uses them as human shields when it operates in dense, residential areas. But the military rarely comments on individual strikes, which frequently kill women, children and other civilians.
ISRAEL RAIDS ANOTHER HOSPITAL
Heavy fighting around Gaza’s hospitals, which are overflowing with patients and displaced people, has taken most of them out of service.
Israel accuses militants of sheltering in health facilities and has provided evidence in some cases. Health officials deny the allegations and say the army has recklessly endangered civilians.