US, Israeli Defence Chiefs To Meet Today As Tensions Rise in Gaza

US defence secretary Lloyd Austin will meet with Israel’s minister of defence Yoav Gallant today to discuss ways to stop a possible ground invasion of Rafah by Israel.

The US government told reporters that Austin’s planned morning meeting will continue as decided.

Earlier, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu cancelled the visit in protest over Monday’s UN Security Council decision calling for an immediate cease-fire. The US abstained, deciding not to use its veto power, and the resolution passed 14-0. The United States had previously blocked at least three resolutions calling for a ceasefire. This time it abstained from using its veto power. On Thursday, Washington tabled its own draft resolution. That called for a ceasefire linked to the release of Israeli hostages by Hamas. Russia and China blocked the resolution on Friday. They vetoed the US resolution describing it as ‘hyprocritical’ and ambiguous.

Israel says it cannot defeat Hamas without going into Rafah, where it says the group has four battalions composed of thousands of fighters.

Israel’s offensive has killed over 32,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, and driven a third of Gaza’s population to the brink of starvation. It was launched in response to Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel, which killed some 1,200 people.

Hamas-led militants also took around 250 people hostage. They are still holding around 100 hostages, and the remains of around 30 others, after most of the rest were freed during a cease-fire last year in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners.

The United Nations Security Council resolution calls for a cease-fire during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Netanyahu accused the US of “retreating” from a “principled position” by allowing the vote to pass without conditioning the cease-fire on the release of hostages.

The dispute signals an erosion in the U.S.-Israel relationship that has been under a microscope for months as the military assault on Hamas continues, escalating the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

White House national security spokesman John Kirby said the U.S. was disappointed in the decision to cancel the delegation’s visit this week. He said the talks with Gallant would likely include some of what the U.S. had planned to discuss with the Israeli delegation on the possible Rafah invasion.

The White House was aiming to talk to the Israelis about possible alternatives to a ground invasion of Rafah.

With inputs from AP