U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is in Tel Aviv on Monday as the U.S. pushes Israel to scale back its ground and air campaigns, increase humanitarian aid and define its goals in Gaza.
The trip comes as desperation in Gaza mounts, with an estimated 19,000 Palestinians dead, a majority of the population displaced, more than a million facing starvation, and infectious diseases spreading. All this comes as Israelis demand answers and action following the shooting deaths of three Israeli hostages in Gaza by Israeli soldiers. More than 120 are still in captivity.
NPR’s Kat Lonsdorf who’s covering the story from Tel Aviv joins us.
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This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
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