AMN / WEB DESK
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III said Israel needed to better protect civilians and to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza as it continued its war against Hamas or it would risk a strategic defeat.
With the collapse of a week long cease-fire and the resumption of Israeli military operations that have begun to focus on southern Gaza, Biden administration officials have been pushing for more targeted strikes to try to avoid civilian casualties in Gaza.
“Now, Israel is in a hard fight against a cruel enemy, in one of the most densely populated areas on Earth. But democracies like ours are stronger and more secure when we uphold the law of war. So we will continue to press Israel to protect civilians and to ensure the robust flow of humanitarian aid”, said defence secretary at the Reagan National Defense Forum .
The Gazan Health Ministry said in a statement on Saturday afternoon that Israeli strikes on Gaza after the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on Oct. 7 had killed more than 15,000 people.