From the Liveblog of
Thursday, October 17, 2024
In call with Gallant, Pentagon chief notes Israeli efforts to increase aid flow to north Gaza
Jacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin nodded at recent Israeli actions to boost humanitarian aid in Gaza, while urging Jerusalem to build upon and sustain such measures during a phone call earlier today with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, the Pentagon says.
The call comes after the US confirmed sending a letter to Israel on Sunday warning that Washington’s continued supply of offensive weapons to Israel would be in jeopardy if Israel didn’t take steps to dramatically improve the humanitarian crisis in Gaza within 30 days.
In the days since the letter was sent, Israel reopened several aid routes and allowed assistance into northern Gaza for the first time in two weeks.
During the call, Gallant and Austin also discussed the recent US deployment of a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery in Israel, which the Pentagon describes as “an operational example of the United States’ ironclad support to the defense of Israel.”
Austin “made clear that the United States is well postured to defend US personnel, partners, and allies,” the Pentagon says.
Austin also reiterated calls for Israel to ensure the safety of UNIFIL forces and the Lebanese Armed Forces after both have come under IDF fire in recent days, the US readout adds.
Israel has called on those forces to evacuate areas in southern Lebanon where it is operating against Hezbollah but those calls have largely been rebuffed.
Austin also “raised the need to pursue a diplomatic pathway to provide security for civilians on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border as soon as feasible,” the Pentagon says, amid US fears that Israel will get bogged down in Lebanon if it doesn’t couple its military strategy with a viable diplomatic one.
