Pentagon halts journey to Israel, discourages congressional visits

The Pentagon will now not enable its senior navy leaders to journey to Israel and can discourage members of Congress from making journeys amid the nation’s ongoing struggle with Hamas in Gaza, based on a memo launched Friday.

The memo, confirmed to The Hill by a Protection Division official, was dated to enter impact Tuesday. The restrictions don’t apply to President Biden, members of Biden’s Cupboard, Joint Chiefs of Employees C.Q. Brown, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Employees Christopher Grady or the service secretaries or chiefs.

Combating in Gaza ramped up this week after Israel started a long-awaited floor invasion of Gaza. Pentagon officers reportedly discouraged the Israeli navy towards a floor incursion, to no avail.

“Assist to congressional delegation visits can be unavailable to Israel throughout this era, and no DoD assist shall be made obtainable for congressional journey to Israel with out my approval,” Protection Secretary Lloyd Austin wrote within the memo, which was first reported by Punchbowl Information.

The struggle, which started early final month, has killed hundreds between the shock assaults in Israel by Hamas, and a relentless bombing marketing campaign by the Israeli navy on Gaza.

Over a thousand Israeli civilians died within the Oct. 7 assault, and over 9,200 Palestinian folks — together with over 3,800 kids — have died within the Israeli counteroffensive, based on the Hamas-run Gaza Well being Ministry.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Israel on Friday to advocate for the Biden administration’s proposal of a “humanitarian pause” within the battle as a way to help civilians in Gaza.

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has signaled that there can be no pause. He stated the strikes would proceed till the greater than 200 folks held hostage had been returned.