WASHINGTON 

US defense chief Lloyd Austin underscored the importance of protecting Gaza's civilians during a telephone call Thursday with his Israeli counterpart. 

Austin and Yoav Gallant discussed Israel's military campaign in Gaza, and accelerating humanitarian assistance, according to a statement by the Pentagon.

"Secretary Austin and Minister Gallant also discussed threats to regional security, including Hizballah's destabilizing activities in southern Lebanon, Iran-aligned militia attacks against U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria, and Houthi assaults against international commerce in the Red Sea," it said.

The US recently said Israel should do more to reduce civilian casualties while fighting the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas.

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, leaving it in ruins, with half of the coastal territory's housing damaged or destroyed and nearly 2 million residents displaced within the densely populated enclave amid acute shortages of food and clean water.

At least 21,320 Palestinians have since been killed and 55,603 injured, according to health authorities, while nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.