Defense Secretary Austin says protecting civilians in Gaza is a 'strategic imperative'

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told NBC News that "protecting the civilian population is a strategic imperative" in the Gaza Strip, an implicit criticism of Israel’s conduct of the war, which has seen a skyrocketing death toll and a humanitarian crisis that has brought the civilian population to the brink of starvation.

Austin made the comments in an interview Thursday with NBC News' "Nightly News with Lester Holt," following a D-Day commemoration ceremony at the Normandy American Cemetery in France. Austin discussed the need for global stability, international support for Ukraine, and Israel's war in Gaza.

Tune in to NBC Nightly News at 6:30 pm ET / 5:30 pm CT to see the interview (check local listings).

When asked if Israel's goal of destroying Hamas is militarily possible, Austin's response focused on a hearts-and-minds approach, rather than a battlefield victory. "Hamas is an idea," Austin said. "And the way that you defeat an idea is with a better idea."

"You must do the right things to provide for the civilian population so that you strip the civilian population away from Hamas,"Austin added, calling for increased humanitarian aid and for the international community "to do what was possible to help the Palestinian people."

He reiterated that the U.S. will continue to support Israel’s defense and its goal of defeating Hamas, objectives Austin said were not mutually exclusive. “You can accomplish your objectives and still protect the civilian population,” he said, calling civilian protection “a strategic imperative” that “will enable long-term success.”

He spoke about the need to defeat Hamas, but reframed the task not as full eradication, as Israel seeks, but one of depleting Hamas of military capability, in line