FALCON POWERS – US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced today, Tuesday, that a widespread famine in Gaza resulting in casualties is likely to exacerbate violence and lead to long-term conflict, despite his rejection of accusations that Israel is responsible for genocide in the Gaza Strip.
The devastated region faces the threat of famine and disease outbreak, with almost all of its inhabitants now displaced after six months of devastating Israeli airstrikes and ground warfare.itarian agencies complain that Israel does not guarantee sufficient access to food, medicine, and other necessary humanitarian supplies. The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, accused Israel of using famine as a weapon in the war.
When Austin was asked about the impact of a mass famine, he responded before the Senate Armed Services Committee, “It would accelerate the pace of violence and lead to long-term conflict.”
He said, “That should not happen. We must continue to do everything we can, which is what we are doing, to encourage Israelis to provide humanitarian assistance.”
Austin noted that it is still unclear whether it is possible to deepen and sustain this increase in humanitarian aid.
He added that Israel’s failure to separate the Palestinian people from Hamas “will only create more terrorism.” However, Austin defended Israel against accusations of committing genocide in Gaza, stating, “We have no evidence of that.”
During a call last week with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US President Joe Biden threatened to withhold US support for the Israeli offensive in Gaza unless Israel takes tangible steps to protect relief workers and civilians.
This was the first time Biden, who belongs to the Democratic Party and is a strong supporter of Israel, sought to leverage US support to influence the behavior of the Israeli army.
The President is under immense pressure from his party to do more to address the humanitarian crisis affecting Palestinian civilians due to the Israeli war.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a key ally of Biden, signed a letter from dozens of Democratic lawmakers on Friday urging an end to the transfer of weapons to Israel.
