WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has phoned Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Thursday and discussed regional situation. In a statement, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that he also stressed the significance of concluding a truce agreement in Gaza that releases the captives.
Earlier, Qatari, U.S. and Egyptian leaders called on Hamas and Israel to resume urgent dialogue on Thursday either in Cairo or Doha to bridge all remaining gaps in the proposed Gaza truce deal and start executing it without any delay, the three countries said in a joint statement. The statement further said that it is the time to conclude a truce agreement and release prisoners and captives,” the statement maintained. AFP reported that Israel has agreed to restart Gaza truce talks on Thursday at the demand of US, Egyptian and Qatari mediators as regional tensions skyrocket over the conflict. Gaza Health Ministry stated that Israel’s brutal military offensive in Gaza has killed over 39,699 people.
