Democrat grills Austin on lack of consequences for Israel over Gaza death toll

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Thursday said that more than 25,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel’s military campaign in the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, the highest U.S. official to confirm such staggering numbers.  

Austin revealed the figure after he was asked how many Palestinian women and children have been killed by Israel since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war. 

“It’s over 25,000,” he said during a House Armed Services Committee hearing centered on his secret hospitalizations in December and January. 

The Pentagon quickly issued a clarification that Austin was “citing an estimate from the Hamas-controlled health ministry that more than 25,000 total Palestinians have been killed in Gaza.” 

Gaza’s health ministry has typically provided updates on the number of civilians killed in the narrow strip of land over the course of the Israel-Hamas war, but Israel has repeatedly tried to discredit the ministry as being “Hamas-run.” 

International news agencies, however, contend that those in Gaza’s health ministry who count and register the dead are usually medical professionals or administrators. 

As of Thursday, the health ministry says more than 30,000 Palestinians have died in Gaza since the start of the war. The count does not differentiate between civilians and combatants, but the ministry says women and children make up around two-thirds of the dead. 

Those latest figure come as Gaza health officials said at least 104 people were killed and 760 injured Thursday when Israel Defense Forces (IDF) opened fire on Palestinian civilians who were gathering around food aid trucks in Gaza City. 

The Biden administration has been hesitant to publicly confirm any figures, given its close ties with Israel, an ally it provides nearly $4 billion in lethal aid to annually.  

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), who relayed that the U.S. had provided Israel with about 21,000 precision guided munitions since the start of the war, pressed Austin on whether he would pull U.S. military assistance from Israel if their forces chose to use them on civilians in Rafah, the southern city in Gaza the IDF is next eyeing for attack.  

Austin, who last week spoke to Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, relayed the Biden administration’s stance that there must be a “credible plan” in place before any Israeli military operation in Rafah to ensure the safety and support of the more than 1 million Palestinians sheltering there. The Israeli government has not yet provided such a plan to U.S. officials. 

Asked whether he would commit to halt any future military sales to Israel should the country move forward on an assault in Rafah with no plan in place for civilian safety, Austin deferred, saying that was a decision for President Biden. 

“I expect that when we provide munitions to allies and partners, that they’ll use them in a responsible way,” Austin said.  

Pressed again by Khanna, who asked if the Pentagon would commit to not sending future arm sales to Israel if it stops American-paid aid from getting into Gaza, Austin again deflected. 

“That’s not my decision. I would … do what I’ve been doing and engage the leadership and encourage them to ensure that humanitarian assistance is getting [in],” he said. 

“We need some consequences when another country is defying you, defying the national security adviser, defying the president,” Khanna replied. “There has to be some consequence.”