Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Monday that “protecting Palestinian civilians in Gaza is both a moral duty and strategic imperative,” the latest U.S. official to publicly urge Israel to do more to mitigate civilian harm as part of its months-long war against Hamas. He made the remarks at a joint news conference in Tel Aviv with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant. The head of the World Health Organization said the U.N. agency was “appalled by the effective destruction” of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, adding that it was a “severe blow” to the enclave’s already struggling health system.
