US, Israeli defense chiefs discuss Rafah over phone

WASHINGTON

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant discussed a possible Israeli ground invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah, the Pentagon said Wednesday.

In a phone call, Austin and Gallant also exchanged views on ongoing hostage negotiations and humanitarian assistance efforts, Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a statement.

Austin reaffirmed the US’ commitment to the unconditional return of all hostages and conveyed the importance of increasing the flow of humanitarian assistance into Gaza while ensuring the safety of civilians and aid workers, Ryder said.

"The secretary also stressed the need for any potential Israeli military operation in Rafah to include a credible plan to evacuate Palestinian civilians and maintain the flow of humanitarian aid," he added.

The phone call came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Tuesday to invade Rafah -- home to more than 1 million Palestinians seeking refuge from the Israel-Hamas war -- despite reports of a new cease-fire proposal being discussed by Hamas and Israel to end the conflict in Gaza.

Netanyahu said the Israeli army would enter Rafah to destroy Hamas’ battalions there "with or without a deal."

Israel has waged an unrelenting offensive on Gaza since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas last Oct. 7 which killed some 1,200 people.

More than 34,500 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and thousands of others injured amid mass destruction and severe shortages of necessities.

More than six months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins, pushing 85% of the enclave’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.