The White House said Israel has agreed to put in place four-hour daily humanitarian pauses in its assault on Hamas in northern Gaza starting on Thursday, as the Biden administration said it has secured a second pathway for civilians to flee fighting.
President Benjamin Netanyahu has been asked by US President, Joe Biden to institute the everyday pauses during a Monday call. U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that the first humanitarian pause would be announced on Thursday and the Israelis had assured them to announce each four-hour window at least three hours in advance.
Biden also said to the reporters that he has also said that he has personally asked Netanyahu 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.
While the 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.”
