Hamas atrocities ‘worse than ISIS’

Visiting US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said in Tel Aviv last Friday that he believes the Hamas terror group’s activities are worse than what he witnessed carried out by the notorious Islamic State terror group a decade ago.

Arriving in the country as an ongoing show of US military and diplomatic support for Israel amid its war against Hamas in Gaza, Austin held meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and a range of senior IDF officials.

Meeting with Netanyahu, Austin told the Israeli leader that “we’re with you, Mr Prime Minister, and as the President said, we have your back.”

Austin, who served as the commander of CENTCOM, the US forces in the Middle East, from 2013-2016, said to Netanyahu, “As you know, I was the guy that initially put the ISIS campaign together and I know a lot about ISIS, and this is worse than what I saw with ISIS.”

The US Pentagon chief later gave a joint press conference alongside Gallant in Tel Aviv, during which he stressed the ongoing military aid being provided to Israel to assist in its battle against Hamas.

Austin said the Pentagon is already sending “munitions, air defence capabilities and other equipment resources” as well as additional “interceptors for Iron Dome, to save Israeli lives”.

Gallant thanked Austin and the United States for the support, noting that a second aircraft carrying US munitions for the IDF was slated to land Friday.

“Mr Secretary, when you said that you stand with Israel, you showed up,” Gallant said. “You have shown us what it means to be an ally, to be a friend, to be a brother.”

The Israeli Defence Minister said that support from “the Pentagon, the White House, Congress, ensures [our] freedom of operation and enforces our capabilities … US deployment of assets on land and in air and at sea sends a strong message to our partners and enemies in the region”.

Austin said his presence in the region as well as the shipments of munitions and repositioning of US warships were all intended to send the message that “the United States will make sure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself”.

“This is no time for neutrality, or for false equivalence, or for excuses for the inexcusable,” Austin said. “There is never any justification for terrorism. And that’s especially true of this rampage by Hamas.”

In a not-so-veiled threat to Hezbollah in Lebanon, Austin echoed comments made earlier this week by US President Joe Biden, saying that “to any country, or any group or anyone trying to take advantage of this atrocity … we have just one word: Don’t.”

Asked by a reporter if the US would consider sending troops to fight on an additional front against Hezbollah, Austin said, “I won’t speculate on anything that could happen in the future.”

The defence secretary also said that US officials “will continue to coordinate closely with Israel to help secure the release of the innocent men, women and children in the clutches of Hamas, including American citizens”.

US State Department Deputy Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs Steve Gillen – who travelled to Israel with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken last week – is currently staying in the country to oversee such efforts.

Asked about concerns over civilian casualties in Gaza from Israeli airstrikes, Austin said only that “Israel has a right to defend itself … I’ve worked with Israeli forces for many years, my experience is that they’re professional, they’re disciplined and they’re focused on the right things.

“This is a time for resolve and not revenge, for purpose and not panic, and for security and not surrender,” he said.

TIMES OF ISRAEL