US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned on Wednesday that Israel’s failure to protect civilians in the Gaza Strip could lead to a violent reaction that extends for generations and to the emergence of more what he described as “anti-Israel militants” in the future.
He stressed that he emphasizes the necessity of meeting the humanitarian needs of civilians in Gaza during every call he makes with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Galant.
He added that in every call he stresses the need for Israel to be more precise in military operations against the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) to limit civilian casualties, as he put it.
He considered that protecting civilians in the Gaza Strip is a strategic necessity, because failure to protect them “may create a generation of Palestinians who refuse to cooperate with Israel,” as he described it.
He pointed out that Israel can achieve its military goals and protect civilians on the battlefield.
Israel has continued its aggression against the Gaza Strip for more than a year, resulting in the martyrdom of 42,792 Palestinians, most of them children and women, in addition to the injury of 100,412 people.
Israel claims that it allows humanitarian aid to enter the Gaza Strip, while the residents of the north suffer from famine and the loss of medical supplies to treat the injured and sick, as a result of the lack of entry of humanitarian aid for weeks.
