Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced on Monday that the country would gradually move to the next phase of operations in Gaza. After discussions with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, they talked about strategies to minimize harm to civilians and reduce lower intensity combat.

Gallant also mentioned the possibility of bringing back the local population in Gaza’s north, which was the most populated area before Israel’s invasion. According to the files, most of the residents of north Gaza followed Israel’s instructions to evacuate to the south.

Despite the statement, no timeline was given for the transition to “more surgical” operations. Nonetheless, Gallant expressed optimism about distinguishing between different areas in Gaza, allowing them to proceed with their mission gradually.

International pressure for a ceasefire has increased on Israel due to the massive bombing campaign and ground war aimed at destroying Hamas, which caused over 19,000 civilian casualties. The files reported that the United States provided Israel with weapons and diplomatic support but took a harder stance towards Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.

Last week, President Joe Biden spoke out against Israel’s “indiscriminate” bombing.

However, Austin offered reassurance on Monday. He emphasized that American support for Israel’s security is unshakable and that Israel is not alone. The files report that several U.S. officials have suggested that Israel focuses on intelligence-driven attacks on Hamas leadership.

Furthermore, according to Israel, the thousands of tons of bombs dropped on Gaza since October 7th were aimed at militarily relevant targets.