Israel has agreed to put in place four-hour daily humanitarian pauses in its fight with Hamas in Northern Gaza starting on Thursday, White House disclosed.
Gatekeepers News reports that U.S President, Joe Biden had asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to institute the daily pauses during a Monday call.
The development gives room for civilians to flee fighting.
U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the Israelis have committed to announcing each four-hour window at least three hours in advance.
He said: “We’ve been told by the Israelis that there will be no military operations in these areas throughout the pause and that this process is starting today.”
Biden also told reporters that he had asked the Israelis for a “pause longer than three days” during negotiations over the release of some hostages held by Hamas, though he ruled out the chances of a general cease-fire.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had warned Israel last week that it risked destroying an eventual possibility for peace unless it acted swiftly to improve humanitarian conditions in Gaza for Palestinian civilians as it intensifies its war against Hamas.
French President Emmanuel Macron has opened a Gaza aid conference on Thursday with an appeal for Israel to protect civilians, saying that “all lives have equal worth” and that fighting terrorism “can never be carried out without rules.”
On October 7, 2023, an armed conflict escalated between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian militants from the Gaza Strip after the latter launched a multi-pronged invasion of Southern Israel.
Over 10,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war in the Gaza Strip since October 7.
