US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin urged his Israeli counterpart Benny Gantz to take steps to calm the situation between Israel and Palestinian resistance groups in Gaza.
A US Department of Defense statement said Austin expressed his concern to Gantz about reports of Palestinian civilian casualties from Israeli raids.
Austin called for a timely investigation into civilian casualties from the Israeli raids.
But the US Secretary of Defense stressed “Israel’s right to self-defense and the unwavering commitment of the United States to Israel’s security,” the Pentagon said in a statement.
On Friday night, Israel carried out a series of raids in the Gaza Strip, killing 10 Palestinians, including a prominent leader of the Al-Quds Brigades, Taysir al-Jabari, and a girl no older than five years old.
Source: US Department of Defense website.