Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder provided the following readout:
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant by phone today to receive updates on Israel's operations to restore security following the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks. Secretary Austin underscored the importance of Israel's role in facilitating the humanitarian convoys Oct. 21-22 into Gaza and emphasized the importance of civilian protection. The two leaders also discussed the United States' continued provision of security assistance and reviewed actions the Department of Defense is taking to deter any state or non-state actor seeking to escalate this war.