U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin discussed several important topics in a phone call with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant, according to a Pentagon statement on Wednesday. Both Austin and Galant reaffirmed their "shared desire to ensure the permanent defeat of Hamas and secure the release of all prisoners held by the group, including American citizens."
Austin informed the Israeli defense minister that "the temporary pier on the Gaza coast will cease operations soon." He emphasized the importance of increasing the flow of humanitarian aid through all land crossings for distribution in Gaza.
The two ministers also addressed "Hezbollah's attacks on Israel and opportunities to enhance U.S.-Israeli military cooperation in response to a range of regional security threats." Galant informed his U.S. counterpart that military operations in the Gaza Strip have created conditions conducive to reaching an agreement regarding hostages, according to Galant's office on Wednesday. Galant added, as per the statement: "The Israel Defense Forces' operations in Gaza have created the necessary conditions to reach an agreement regarding the return of the hostages, which represents the highest moral necessity at this time."
