National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his War Cabinet, Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant, Israeli National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi, and member of the War Cabinet Benny Gantz today in Tel Aviv, Israel to discuss the ongoing conflict in Gaza and our shared objective of defeating Hamas, while minimizing harm to civilians and ensuring the increased and sustained flow of humanitarian assistance into Gaza.
Mr. Sullivan was briefed in detail on the State of Israel's military campaign in Gaza, including its objectives, phasing, and setting conditions for shifts over time from high intensity clearing operations to lower intensity surgical operations against Hamas remnants. Mr. Sullivan confirmed U.S. support for Israel's right to defend itself and its citizens from Hamas, which has vowed to carry out the atrocities of October 7 over and over again. He welcomed increased coordination with the UN, Egypt, and other partners on the delivery and distribution of humanitarian assistance and stressed the importance of expanding and sustaining the flow of assistance into Gaza.
During the meetings, Mr. Sullivan described U.S. efforts in coordination with allies and partners to deter any attempt to expand the conflict regionally, including in the Red Sea, and expressed President Biden's commitment to restoring calm along the Blue Line through a combination of deterrence and diplomacy.
