While some U.S. lawmakers are increasingly frustrated that Israel has crossed a moral line in its pursuit of Hamas in Gaza, the Pentagon has not given up its support for Israel.

A U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Tuesday was repeatedly interrupted by protesters who accused Israel and the United States of having innocent blood on their hands, but Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin pushed back.

Republican Sen. Tom Cotton asked Austin: “Is Israel committing genocide in Gaza?”

Austin responded: “Senator Cotton, we don’t have any evidence of genocide.”

But under repeated questioning, Austin acknowledged that the Israeli military could and must do more to distinguish between Hamas militants and civilians.

“There is no doubt that this conflict has caused too many civilian casualties,” he said.

Austin said he had warned Israel’s foreign minister that not allowing more humanitarian aid to Gaza would “only create more terrorism.”

As for Israel’s continued talk of an operation to root out Hamas in Rafah, the defense minister did not mince words. “This cannot be the kind of activity we have seen in Gaza City and Khan Younis in the past,” he said.

Not all lawmakers are satisfied with the answers. Some expressed frustration that Washington was forced to intervene.

Democratic Senator Tim Kaine said: “There is no reason why the United States must build docks in the eastern Mediterranean. There is no reason why we must airdrop supplies. The pace of humanitarian assistance is not enough.”

Other lawmakers blamed Hamas. Austin agreed that continued conduct by U.S.-designated terrorist groups still constitutes war crimes.

The subject of the hearing was President Joe Biden’s budget request for the Department of Defense.