US and Israeli defense chiefs to meet Tuesday as tensions rise over Gaza

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will meet with Israel’s minister of defense on Tuesday and discuss ways to defeat Hamas other than conducting a ground invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah, the Pentagon said, at a time of rising tensions between the two countries.

Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, told reporters Monday that Austin’s planned morning meeting with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant is still on, even though Israel abruptly canceled the visit of a high-level delegation to Washington this week.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled the visit in protest over Monday’s U.N. Security Council decision calling for an immediate cease-fire. The U.S. abstained, deciding not to use its veto power, and the resolution passed 14-0.

“There are ways to go about addressing the threat of Hamas, while also taking into account civilian safety. A lot of those are from lessons, our own lessons, conducting operations in urban environments,” Ryder said. “I would expect the conversations to cover those kinds of things.”

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