US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Israel on Friday (October 13) to meet with senior Israeli defense officials and government leaders to assess and see firsthand some of the US weapons and security assistance Washington rapidly delivered to Israel in the first week of its war with Hamas.
The visit was part of his trip across the Atlantic, after wrapping up his trip to the NATO Headquarters in Brussels, the Associated Press reported.
Austin's trip to Israel immediately followed that of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday (October 12), who himself was on a lightning Middle East diplomatic tour to convince Jordanian King Abdullah II and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to contain the conflict.
He would also convince Qatari authorities, some of whom have close contacts with Hamas leadership, for a possible prisoner swap between Palestinian prisoners and hostages Hamas abducted during its Sabbath raid of southern Israel.
Earlier on Friday (October 13), the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) told around 1 million Palestinians living in Gaza City to evacuate to the south of Wadi Gaza as an Israeli ground invasion is imminent.
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(Photo: C-SPAN) US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant answer questions from reporters regarding the Israeli war operations and the US military’s role in the region.
Austin: What Hamas Did 'Vividly Reminds Me of ISIS'
Austin met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and the rest of the Israeli war cabinet.
While speaking privately, Austin was heard telling Netanyahu of Washington's steadfast support.
"We do stand with you, Mr. Prime Minister," Austin said.
In his public speech with reporters alongside Gallant, Austin recalled his time as commanding general of the US Central Command, saying that what Hamas did vividly reminded him of the Islamic State.
"I know ISIS very well, and it's worse than what I've seen with ISIS," he added.
The Jerusalem Post also reported Austin sharing the anecdotal story of retired IDF general Noam Tibon, who raced to the frontlines as soon as he heard about the invasion in order to save his family, expressing his great admiration for Tibon.
"In times like these sometimes the best thing a friend can do is just to show up and get to work," he stressed. "This is no time for neutrality or for false equivalence or for excuses for the inexcusable. There is never a justification for terrorism, and this is especially true after this rampage by Hamas."
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