Tomorrow. His cancer prognosis remains excellent. We will update as more information comes available regarding his status and we will wish him a speedy recovery. Symmetry austin were no longer travel to brussels this week as originally scheduled, wednesdays Ukraine DefenseContact Group will continue, albeit virtually. Secretary austen intends to participate in the virtual meeting, he will remain flexible depending on his health care status. Dr. Wunder will be in brussels this week is prepared to represent the secretary as required and the chairman of the joint chief of staff will also be participating in the meeting virtually from washington, d. C. Ministers of defense will convene virtually to discuss the ongoing crisis in ukraine and the continued support from the International Community to provide the ukrainian people was a means necessary to defend their sovereign territory. U. S. Permanent representative julie smith will represent secretary austin at the nato defense ministerial scheduled for thursday. We will keep you updated on outcomes from both of these important meetings. Switching gears, this month, marks the two Year Anniversary since the white house released its anda pacific strategy, in the last two years the department of defense had done more than ever to advance a shared vision for free and open indo pacific regions. We made historic advancements and alliances with the republic of korea, japan, australia, philippines, india, and others across the region and even as we confront challenges elsewhere, the United States will continue to prioritize their efforts in the critical region in support of international security, stability, and prosperity. For more information see our fact sheet on the dod website. Our prayers with the people of the philippines as a longstanding ally faces severe flooding and landslides from a series of storms. U. S. Marines from the Third Marine Expeditionary force has assisted with the Philippine Government and usaid in delivering food packs to affected families. From information, contact the marine corps public affairs. Im happy to take questions from the press corps. I want to get an idea of how serious this is, this is his second trip to the intensive care unit at walter reed. Intensive surgery. He has canceled his trip, can you give us a sense of where he is in his recovery . As this hospitalization part of ongoing Cancer Treatments . What can you give us as the status on his Prostate Cancer . Thank you, i point you back to the statement there, that i just read, in terms of the secretarys condition, as highlighted, Good Condition according to his doctors. He will remain in the icu ward for the duration of his day in order to provide appropriate privacy and will continue to receive Critical Care support in order to closely monitor his progress for now. As i highlighted it in statement from his doctors, his current bladder issue is not expected to change his anticipated full recovery from cancer and his prognosis for cancer. Is the latter issue a complication from his surgery to treat Prostate Cancer or is related to his Prostate Cancer . And have anything to add beyond what i have shared with you but certainly, again as we have more information, will be sure to pass it on. Since his hospitalization in an effort to be more transparent, can you give us a sense of what stages Prostate Cancer was . How early it was detected . You are expecting future hospitalizations because of the ongoing fight . As you have said, his cancer was detected very early. As his doctors have previously highlighted, he is expected to make a full recovery from his cancer diagnosis. There is no further treatment associated with his cancer expected other than physical therapy has been undergoing to deal with lingering pains which he highlighted during his press briefing. As you highlight, we will continue to keep you updated with as much information as possible regarding the secretary and his Health Status and be as transparent as we can. Has he spoke to the president and his most recent hospitalization . Has he expressed any reservations about his own ability to serve . When he is released, is he expected to work from home . He has has not spoken to the president to my knowledge, he went into the hospital yesterday to get checked out and again i would refer you back to my first statement and what i just read out. I can assure you the secretary is continuing to be here to perform his duties and there is no doubt of that. In terms of what is next regarding his health care, we will keep you updated. There has been a great deal of consternation in recent days due to the ongoing debate in congress about whether the u. S. Will continue to fund ukraine. Recent comments by the former president the weekend about what he would do to nato and messaging to put in at russia what he would allow them to do to nato. Why is the more senior stature going to participate in these meetings . Are support for ukraine continues to be ironclad as you have heard. You will have nearly 50 countries come together as the head on a monthly basis to talk about how we support ukraine. As i also highlighted, the secretarys intent to participate in the virtual ed cd, we will keep you updated on that front and the doctor has been at the center of working for the department to represent the United States and are support for the huge ecg, she is well experienced and well equipped to represent the secretary should she need to do that. As i mentioned, she will also be in brussels to support the ambassador as he represents the secretary of the nato defense ministry. To follow up on that, the julie smith, she is qualified, secretary hicks would be representation of how seriously the Administration Takes ukraine and its needs. Did the secretary not have a deputy to send her while she was performing her duties . I reject that notion, she has full confidence in the deputy secretary of defense. He has transferred that function to her as evidence of that. Again, anyone who questions our commitment to ukraine, needs to look at the facts in terms of the amount of support and assistance we have provided and continue to provide ukraine and will continue to provide going forward. How long was the secretary unconscious or under general anesthesia . Is it a couple of hours . At this time i do not have anything to provide beyond what i related to you. We will continue to keep you updated as new information comes in. When does the sequence from being taken to the hospital turn over his responsibility . That he informed the white house . He was being taken to the hospital, that happened before he actually departed to go to the hospital. In addition, in that period, conditional notifications were made as well. The statement says that he will be able to resume his normal duties tomorrow. You just told us he has canceled a planned trip. How do you square those two . Again, we will keep you updated on his status. This is a statement from his doctors explaining that they expect he will be able to resume his normal duties again, we will keep you updated on whether that includes from the hospital or that it is from home. Again, all indications based on the doctors statements is that he will recover well and he is in Good Condition and we will keep you updated. The secretary received an any radiation treatment . Did the secretary receive any radiation treatment . Was he in a lot of pain . Was he bleeding . Can you say the procedure that was done once he got there . I want you back to the statement from his doctors, as we get more information we will share that with you. As i understand it was related to an emergent bladder issue. It was not related to his Cancer Treatment. As the statement i read out to you highlights his prognosis for that is good and the bladder issue should not affect his recovery from that. We cannot say he has gotten radiation . To my knowledge, he has not. Appoint you back to the statement in terms of the treatment he has received. Related to his Cancer Treatment . This is a complication of the surgery . I am not a doctor and im not going to try to speak medical speak. I will point you back to the statement and as we get more information and provide, we will. They told you this is a or anybody on his staff, this is a complication . He went to the hospital yesterday for an emergent bladder issue. Is doctors have said previously that he is expected to make a full recovery from his cancer diagnosis which is what i just highlighted in the top of the statement. As we have more information provided we will do that. Just to be clear, you are leaving open the possibility of this is a totally separate issue from his complication from his Prostate Cancer surgery in december . What im saying is what is in the statement that the current bladder issue is not expected to change his anticipated full recovery. Is cancer prognosis remains excellent. As we get more information from the doctor we will share that. It is possible to get the questions, there is an assumption that this is emergent bladder issues, it is related to the complications that he had on new years day, that is not the case, that a separate. I will take the question. They are tempted to rescue it seems . Up until now, information is still being updated, it seems like a be up to 100 palestinians were killed in the altercation. The u. S. Has in terms of uav been doing some work to help the israelis recover some of the captives. Was the u. S. Involved in that operation . You have any comments about the civilian death toll from the aftermath of it . When it comes to israeli operations, i will refer you to them in terms of talking about that. When it comes to civilian casualties, as you have heard me say many times, we do not want to see civilian casualties or innocent civilians killed whether they be palestinian or israeli. That will continue to be our view going forward. In u. S. Did the u. S. Play any role in that operation . I am not aware of any role from the United States. As you have heard from the israeli permit a start, it seems like he is planning to Prime Minister, it seems he is starting a Ground Invasion of rafah, where people are taking refuge. International organizations are warning of risk of genocide. The pentagon has been supporting this . I will refer you to the israelis to talk about their operations, mr. Kirby has addressed this in his press briefings, we certainly do not want to see anymore suffering, human suffering among those in gaza which is why we continue to communicate actively with our israeli partners on the importance of taking civilians into account in planning and conducting their operations. Was communicating that . Who is communicating that . General glenn was there and we got finality on that . I think all echelons, you had the president speak to his counterpart and secretary austen speak to his counterpart, you have u. S. Central command speaking to their counterparts, the chairman of the joint chiefs sticking to their counterparts, there is ongoing discussion as it relates to israels defense of his nation as well as the support and insurance the humanitarian systems get through. A question about rafah, is there a level of, other people in the military, wherever it is, they are providing technical . Im not aware of understanding, when he is talking about his Public Comments by the Prime Ministers saying what they are going to do. That is something that they need to talk about. Let me move over to the other side of the room. The israelis showed any planning with the pentagon . About the Ground Invasion . I will not have anything to provide beyond what i have talked about already. I refer you back to mr. Kirbys comments. Any updates on yesterdays hmc, the iraqis . Yesterdays meeting marks another step along the transition as military technical talks were held in baghdad, the threat of isis, the operating environment and Security Forces capabilities, we will continue to keep you updated as appropriate, these talks are important as we look to discuss the transition of the coalition of military mission, to the longerterm u. S. Iraq relationship. You have any updates on the operation . No. The Iraqi Military spokesman gave a readout of the talks yesterday and it said based on the discussion yesterday the timetable will be set for the gradual overstepped reduction of International Coalition and the Coalition Mission. Is that correct . That the outcome was an agreement that there would be a mine for that . Can you give us an update on the review or the internal review of hospitalization . Can you review that yet or the publication of that . The first question is i do not have any information on that, i will take that question. As far as the review, no changes from what i provided on thursday. The secretary does have that review. He will take a look at it. Again, our commitment is to provide as much information about the review to heal and when we can, we will continue to endeavor to do that. Is kathy acting as the secretary . Can you clear about her role title is right now . Up her role title right now . She has the duties of the security of defense, she is acting as the secretary of defense. I do not understand why they could not have had the ukraine contact meeting with the. Austin, what was the reason for making it virtual . Im not sure i understand your question . Why make the meeting virtual . Because he could not attend . The are many other people who attend that meeting. As a highlighted the secretary intends to participate as i highlighted, the secretary intends to participate, the importance we have already discussed. We want to ensure that this continues. As we have done in the past, we are going to be flexible on terms of the format. He attended virtually . I will not get into specifics. I read to you what we are doing, let us go to the phone. Task and purpose . Thank you, on what date did security often undergo this procedure when he was under general anesthesia . And secretary austin, he is 6th in the president ial line of succession, is kathy now sixtj in line to succession sixth in light of succession . That procedure would have been today, i would just leave it there. A question about the secretary, i wonder if it is common for the secretary to have in general, problems . Are you asking me why he has not traveled . The secretarys health, i wonder if it is difficult for him to travel to the region . For a while . Yes, thank you, at this point, clearly, the secretary is focused on getting better. As a highlighted he is not traveling to brussels, i expect he will travel to the asiapacific region when he is able to. We do not have any travel to announce. Again, he continues to, i am sure that he will remain eager to perform his duties when he is able to do so. Time for one more. Thank you, the discussion . How long can it continue . The Prime Minister said we are ahead of the mission of forces . I do not have a timeline to my knowledge, that has not been bounded, that will be a decision between the hmc to include in consultation of the government of iraq and it is for as u. S. Presence in iraq, i point you back to what i said earlier, the hmc will discuss the transition from a military Coalition Mission to what the u. S. Presence will look like as it relates to a bilateral u. S. Iraq relationship. Are forces continue to be there in iraq, i am not aware of any specific official requests at this point in time for u. S. Forces to leave. We will continue to keep you updated. Thank you, we appreciate it. One question for the acting defense secretary, we have never had a chance to question her at the podium or here from her or an appearance from her. Just get an update. I will take that request