US defence secretary Lloyd Austin has discussed with Israeli leaders ways to scale back major combat operations in Gaza, but said Washington was not imposing a timetable despite international calls for a ceasefire.
Mr Austin and other US officials have repeatedly expressed concern about the large number of civilian deaths in Gaza, even while underscoring American backing for Israel’s campaign aimed at crushing Hamas.
Neither side elaborated on Monday on what needed to change on the ground for a shift to more precise operations, after weeks of devastating bombardment and a ground offensive.
At a press conference alongside Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant, Mr Austin said: “This is Israel’s operation. I’m not here to dictate timelines or terms.”
Productive meeting today with @yoavgallant to discuss Israel’s ongoing campaign to defeat Hamas, to include objectives, phasing, and protecting civilians. We also focused on Iran-backed threats across the region, and our shared commitment to countering this aggression. pic.twitter.com/HOCKiC5yFX
— Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) December 18, 2023
The US has vetoed calls for a ceasefire at the UN and sent munitions to Israel.
Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel will keep fighting until it ends Hamas rule in Gaza, crushes its formidable military capabilities and frees the dozens of hostages still held in Gaza since the deadly October 7 attack inside Israel that ignited the war.
Israeli protesters have demanded the government relaunch talks with Hamas on releasing more hostages after three were mistakenly killed by Israeli troops.
Talks were under way on Monday to broker freedom for more hostages, as CIA director William Burns met the head of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency in Warsaw and the prime minister of Qatar, a US official said.
It was the first known meeting of the three since the end of a week-long ceasefire in late November, during which some 100 hostages were freed in exchange for the release of about 240 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.
More than 100 people were killed in Israeli strikes on residential buildings in northern Gaza on Sunday, a health ministry official in the Hamas-run territory said.
The Israeli government is using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare in the Gaza Strip.
World leaders should be speaking out against this abhorrent war crime, which has devastating effects on Gaza’s population. https://t.co/LaO0jUgdbx pic.twitter.com/lyPwliQfKR
— Human Rights Watch (@hrw) December 18, 2023
The 10-week-old war has killed more than 19,000 Palestinians and transformed much of the north into a moonscape.
Some 1.9 million Palestinians, nearly 85% of Gaza’s population, have fled their homes, with most packing into UN-run shelters and tent camps in the southern part of the besieged territory.
Mr Austin, who arrived in Israel with joint chiefs chairman General CQ Brown, said he and Israeli officials exchanged “thoughts on how to transition from high intensity operations” and how to increase the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
American officials have called for targeted operations aimed at killing Hamas leaders, destroying tunnels and rescuing hostages.
Those calls came after US President Joe Biden warned that Israel is losing international support because of its “indiscriminate bombing”.
Speaking alongside Mr Austin, Mr Gallant said only that “the war will take time”.
Last week Mr Gallant said Israel would continue major combat operations for several more months.
European countries also appear to be losing patience.
“Far too many civilians have been killed in Gaza,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell posted on X, formerly Twitter.
“Certainly, we are witnessing an appalling lack of distinction in Israel’s military operation in Gaza.”
Under US pressure, Israel provided more precise evacuation instructions earlier this month as troops moved into the southern city of Khan Younis.
But casualties have continued to mount and Palestinians say nowhere in Gaza is safe as Israel carries out strikes in all parts of the territory.
Israel reopened its main cargo crossing with Gaza to allow more aid in, also after a request from the US.
But the amount is less than half of pre-war imports, even as needs have soared and fighting hinders delivery in many areas.
Israel blocked entry of all goods into Gaza soon after the war started and weeks later began allowing a small amount of aid in through Egypt.
Human Rights Watch on Monday accused Israel of deliberately starving Gaza’s population, which would be a war crime, pointing to statements by senior Israeli officials expressing the intent to deprive civilians of food, water and fuel or linking the entry of aid to the release of hostages.
The war began with an unprecedented surprise attack by Hamas that overwhelmed Israel’s border defences.
Thousands of militants rampaged across southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting about 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.
More than 19,400 Palestinians have been killed, according to the health ministry, which has said most are women and minors, and that thousands more are buried under the rubble.
The ministry does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths.
Israel’s military says 127 of its soldiers have been killed in the Gaza ground offensive. It says it has killed thousands of militants, without providing evidence.