The White House has announced that Israel to begin daily four-hour pauses in fighting in northern Gaza to allow people to flee hostilities.
US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby termed it a step in the right direction.
He said the first humanitarian pause would be announced on Thursday, adding that Israel had committed to announcing each four-hour window at least three hours in advance.
The pauses would allow people to flee along two humanitarian corridors and were significant first steps, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said.
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“We’ve been told by the Israelis that there will be no military operations in these areas over the duration of the pause, and that this process is starting today,” Kirby said.
The pauses, which would be announced three hours in advance, emerged out of discussions between U.S and Israeli officials in recent days, including talks U.S. President Joe Biden had with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Kirby added.
Israel launched a ground and air offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip after gunmen crossed from the small enclave into southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,400 people and taking about 240 others hostage.
Palestinian officials said 10,569 Gaza residents had been killed as of Wednesday, about 40% of them children, and humanitarian problems are mounting.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday the number of civilians killed in Gaza showed there was something “clearly wrong” with Israel’s military operations.
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