Gaza war’s outcome will affect Middle East for years: Gallant

By Ahmed Asmar

ANKARA (AA) - The results of Israel’s war on Gaza will affect the Middle East for years to come, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Monday.

Gallant made the remarks during a meeting with Sullivan at the White House, according to a statement by the Israeli Defense Ministry.

The statement said their meeting dwelt on "the steps required to continue defeating Hamas and dismantling its military and governmental capabilities and the efforts to return the hostages."

Gallant stressed that the manner in which the war in Gaza ends "will affect the State of Israel and the entire region for decades to come and will send a clear message."

Gallant embarked on an official visit to the US on Sunday at the invitation of his American counterpart Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to discuss the war against the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza, efforts to release hostages held in the enclave, humanitarian efforts and measures to ensure regional stability.

Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on the Palestinian territory since a cross-border attack by Hamas in which some 1,200 Israelis were killed.

More than 32,333 Palestinians have since been killed and over 74,694 injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.