Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Friday said he wanted to remind Americans “who is the enemy,” calling Hamas the “ISIS of Gaza.”
Gallant during a press conference with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin thanked the U.S. for its support after the Hamas terrorist attack in Israel that claimed more than 1,300 lives on Saturday.
However, he said — amid sympathy for Hamas on some college campuses and sections of the public in the U.S. — “Let me remind your audience who is the enemy.”
“Our neighbor is Hamas, the ISIS of Gaza. An organization enjoying the Iranian payroll,” he said.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant (2nd L) visits Israeli military units in the south and makes observations, in Israel on October 10, 2023. (Israel Ministry Of Defense / Ariel Hermoni / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“I cannot let the world forget the brutal attacks Hamas terrorists conduct[ed] against Israeli children, Israeli women, Israeli elderly and entire families. Murder, rape, kidnapping. This is what we face in this war. This is a war on the existence of Israel as a prosperous state, as a democratic state, as the homeland of the Jewish people. This is a war on freedom and on our common values and we are on the front line. We will keep fighting and we will win this war. We will prevail,” he said.
Austin also expressed unequivocal support for Israel, saying it was not the time for “neutrality or for false equivalence.”
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“Now this is no time for neutrality or for false equivalence, or for excuses for the inexcusable. There is never any justification for terrorism. And that’s especially true after this rampage by Hamas. And anyone who wants lasting peace and security for this region must condemn and isolate Hamas. Hamas does not speak for the Palestinian people, or their legitimate hopes for dignity, security, and statehood and peace alongside Israel,” he said.
“As a former commander of Central Command, the deliberate cruelty of Hamas vividly reminds me of ISIS bloodthirsty, fanatical and hateful and like ISIS, Hamas has nothing to offer, but zealotry, bigotry, and death. The world has just witnessed a great evil the deadliest attacks on civilians in the history of the state of Israel. And the bloodiest day in Jewish history since the end of the Holocaust. So make no mistake — the United States will make sure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself,” he said.
Austin warned that the U.S. has sent military assets to the region to deter “anyone” from thinking about joining in the war between Israel and Hamas.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant (R) visits Israeli military units in the south and makes observations, in Israel on October 10, 2023. (Israel Ministry Of Defense / Ariel Hermoni / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“For any country, for any group or anyone thinking about trying to take advantage of this atrocity to try to widen the conflict or to spill more blood we have just one word: ‘Don’t.’ The world is watching and so are we. And we aren’t going anywhere,” he said.
Austin remained vague when asked if the U.S. would intervene militarily if Israel is attacked from the north by Hezbollah in Lebanon, but reiterated the threat.
“I ordered additional assets to the region to bolster deterrence. And, again, the message that we would send to any country or group thinking to take advantage of this situation and widen the conflict, ‘Don’t,” he said.
“I won’t speculate on anything that could happen in the future. I will just tell you, clearly, that United States will continue to support Israel’s right to defend itself,” he said.
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