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US Defence chief Lloyd Austin has spoken with Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on the negotiations to free captives held in Gaza as well as the threatened offensive on Rafah, Al Jazeera reports.
“The Secretary reaffirmed his commitment to the unconditional return of all hostages and 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,” the Pentagon said in a statement.
Austin also expressed condolences for the Israeli soldiers killed in the Hamas attack on the Karem Abu Salem crossing earlier.
