US, Israeli defense chiefs to meet next week: Pentagon

WASHINGTON

US defense chief Lloyd Austin will host his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, the Pentagon said Thursday.

"Next week on Tuesday, March 26, Secretary Austin will host Mr. Gallant here at the Pentagon for a bilateral meeting to continue their discussions on a range of topics, including efforts to secure the release of all hostages held by Hamas, the need for more humanitarian aid to reach Palestinian civilians, and plans to ensure the safety of the more than 1 million people sheltering in Rafah, while ensuring Hamas can no longer pose a threat to Israel," spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told reporters.

This meeting is "separate" from one announced by the White House following a telephone call between US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in which Netanyahu agreed to send a senior interagency team composed of military intelligence and humanitarian officials to Washington, said Singh.

Austin regularly engages with partners and allies in calls and in-person meetings, she said.

"This was a meeting that was set up a few weeks ago."

"I think it's another opportunity to discuss the urgent need for humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza. That's something that certainly the Secretary impressed upon minister Gallant, not just in the call yesterday, but in every single phone call he has," she said.

They will also discuss what is happening in the region and Rafah, she added.

Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 cross-border attack led by Hamas in which nearly 1,200 Israelis were killed.

Nearly 32,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in Gaza, and nearly 74,200 injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

The Israeli war, now in its 167th day, has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of most food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which in January issued an interim ruling ordering Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.