More than 25,000 women and children have lost their lives in Israel’s offensive against Gaza since October 7, as reported by US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin. This stark figure raises significant moral and legal questions regarding the military tactics employed by Tel Aviv.
During a congressional hearing on Thursday, Congressman Ro Khanna inquired about the number of Palestinian women and children killed by Israel, to which Austin responded, “It is over 25,000.”
Israel has come under increasing scrutiny for its targeting of residential areas, resulting in a high number of civilian casualties. Despite criticism from rights organizations and aid agencies, Tel Aviv has defended its aggressive military strategy. The International Court of Justice is currently examining allegations of genocide against Israel.
When pressed further by Khanna, who referenced UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk’s statement that any transfer of weapons or ammunition to Israel violated international law, Austin was unable to provide an exact figure on the number of precision-guided munitions sent by the United States to Israel.
Khanna revealed, “It’s about 21,000 precision-guided munitions.”
During the hearing, Khanna also interrogated Austin about the potential consequences if Israel proceeded with a planned ground invasion of Rafah.
Austin replied that any such action would require a “credible plan” to ensure the safety of the 1.5 million Palestinians residing in the southernmost city.
When asked if he would cease military assistance to Israel in the event of an invasion without a plan, Austin deferred to President Joe Biden for the final decision.
“I anticipate that when we provide munitions to allies and partners, they will utilize them responsibly,” asserted the US defense secretary.
However, shortly after the hearing, Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh disputed Austin’s cited estimate of women and children casualties, arguing that it originated from the Gaza Ministry of Health rather than US intelligence.
Singh stated, “We are unable to independently confirm these Gaza casualty figures.”
The Pentagon clarified that Austin’s statement referred to the total number of Palestinians killed. Meanwhile, the Health Ministry in Gaza reported a death toll exceeding 30,000, including 12,300 children and 8,400 women.
The hearing occurred in the wake of reports from Gaza authorities alleging that Israeli forces had killed over 100 people gathering food aid, an incident condemned by various rights groups and global leaders.
Israel attributed the deaths to overcrowding, trampling, and “Gaza truck drivers,” although the Israeli narrative changed throughout the day.
