United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will travel to Israel on Monday try to obtain from the Israeli military authorities a specific schedule for the end of the offensive in Gaza, after the growing international calls for the ceasefire.
According to the Europa Press news agency, sources close to the American executive told CNN that Lloyd Austin will receive “specific updates” from Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on the current phase of the military campaign.
On this occasion, the Secretary of Defense “will put pressure on the Israeli authoritiesto know which Metric they are using to decide the start of the next phase. Campaign.”
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan discussed with Israel’s War Cabinet the transition to a new phase of the conflict in Gaza, focused on the “targeted elimination” of the leadership of the Islamic movement Hamas.
“At the moment, We are in the middle of a very intense phase., characterized by bombings and ground raids in the north and south of Gaza. But there will be a transitionfor a next phase, focused on the (Hamas) leadership, more focused on the use of Intelligence data (secret services)”, explained Jake Sullivan, during his visit to the United States embassy in Jerusalem, last Friday.
The American advisor refused to set a date for this new phase, although he has already discussed “deadlines and conditions” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli War Cabinet and the Army General Staff.
Jake Sullivan’s statements came a day after senior Biden administration officials anonymously assured the Times of Israel that Hamas leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, will be one of the main targets of this new phase and that ” You can practically say that his days are numbered.”
Source: TSF
