US and Israeli defence ministers to meet after UN call for ceasefire

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin (AP)

US defence secretary Lloyd Austin will meet with his Israeli counterpart on Tuesday and discuss ways to defeat Hamas other than conducting a ground invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah, the Pentagon has said.

Pentagon press secretary Major General Pat Ryder told reporters Mr Austin’s planned morning meeting with defence minister Yoav Gallant is still on, even though Israel abruptly cancelled the visit of a high-level delegation to Washington this week.