Current location:International Investigation news portal > world
US defense chief denies genocide committed in Gaza
International Investigation news portal2024-05-21 23:32:54【world】2People have gathered around
IntroductionWashington —The Pentagon is not backing off on its support for Israel, despite growing frustration b
The Pentagon is not backing off on its support for Israel, despite growing frustration by some U.S. lawmakers that Israel is crossing ethical lines as it goes after Hamas in Gaza.
During a U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Tuesday interrupted multiple times by protesters accusing Israel — and the United States — of having innocent blood on its hands, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin pushed back.
Senator Tom Cotton, a Republican, asked Austin: "Is Israel committing genocide in Gaza?"
Austin replied: "Senator Cotton, we don't have any evidence of genocide."
But under repeated questioning, Austin acknowledged Israel’s military can and must do more to differentiate between Hamas militants and civilians.
"There’s no question that there have been far too many civilian casualties in this conflict,” he said.
Austin said he has warned his Israeli counterpart that a failure to allow the delivery of much more humanitarian aid to Gaza “would just create more terrorism.”
As for continued talk by Israel about an operation to root out Hamas in Rafah, the secretary of defense was blunt. “It cannot be what we’ve seen in the past in terms of the type of activities that we've seen in Gaza City and in Khan Yunis,” he said.
Not all lawmakers were satisfied with those answers. Some expressed frustration that Washington has been forced to step in.
"There's no reason the United States should have to build a pier in the eastern Mediterranean. There's no reason we should have to airdrop supplies,” said Senator Tim Kaine, a Democrat. "The pace of humanitarian aid is insufficient."
Other lawmakers put blame on Hamas. Austin agreed that the U.S.-designated terror group’s ongoing conduct continues to amount to war crimes.
The hearing was about President Joe Biden's budget request for the Department of Defense.
Address of this article:http://uganda.brianlynch.org/article-46b699945.html
Very good!(2519)
Related articles
- Ravens sign WR Qadir Ismail, the son of former NFL receiver Qadry Ismail
- Mel Gibson sports an arm sling following shoulder injury as he attends a coffee meeting in Malibu
- Historic woods turned into 'desolate wasteland' by fly
- Royals C Salvador Perez scratched from game against Blue Jays because of tight back
- Farm family’s newest crop shows China’s solar ascendancy
- Mel Gibson sports an arm sling following shoulder injury as he attends a coffee meeting in Malibu
- NFL teams pick up 5th
- Cachin receives souvenir from Nadal after losing to the 22
- Sienna Miller's lookalike daughter Marlowe, 11, makes her first ever red carpet appearance
- Lewandowski hat trick gives Barcelona comeback victory over Valencia
Popular articles
Recommended
Macron is making a surprise trip to New Caledonia amid deadly unrest and indigenous frustration
‘Welcome to Wrexham’ returns for a ‘nail
Two Finnish passenger jets are forced to turn around mid
Patriots' Christian Barmore agrees to 4
Patrick Reed withdraws from US Open qualifying and ends streak of playing the majors
1 military horse under observation, another to recover fully, British Army says
NFL teams pick up 5th
Morel hits tiebreaking HR off Díaz in 9th and Cubs top Mets 3
Links
- Lawyer for former top lawmaker in Michigan House expects he will be charged
- Ukrainian president, senior NATO official meet on support for Kiev
- More homes flooded in Russian region bordering Kazakhstan, other areas
- China's Tiandu satellites conduct Earth
- Girls Aloud poke fun at iconic clip where Cheryl insisted they would NEVER get back together
- Early voting for S. Korea's parliamentary elections kicks off
- US hypes up 'Volt Typhoon' false narrative to smear China
- Alana Lister doesn't look like this anymore! MAFS star is unrecognisable in wild Coachella outfit
- China's traffic authorities issue passenger vehicle safety reminder
- Latest I'm A Celebrity eviction sees campmates at a loss as they struggle to feed themselves