Starting Thursday, Israel will begin implementing daily four-hour pauses in its fighting with Hamas militants based in northern Gaza to allow Palestinian civilians to flee south, the White House announced.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters an announcement would be made three hours prior to the brief pauses and that there would be no military operations in the affected areas during that set time.
“We remain concerned that Hamas will discourage or prevent civilians from fleeing the same time when encouraging people to leave,” Kirby added. “It’s critical, absolutely vital, that humanitarian supplies and assistance are expanded in the areas where people are moving, in this case, southern Gaza.”
In addition to the facilitation of humanitarian aid, the new deal could be used as a way to get Hamas to release some 240 hostages who remain in the Islamic terrorist group’s custody. After Kirby announced the news, the Israel Defense Forces insisted there is “no ceasefire” in its war with Hamas, only “tactical, local pauses” — an idea that Netanyahu had said he would entertain.
The latest development arose out of recent discussions between U.S. and Israeli officials, particularly conversations between President Joe Biden and Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
At first, Netanyahu refused to negotiate with Hamas at all, given its surprise attack on Israel early last month. In recent days, however, he said he would consider “tactical little pauses” in its military campaign to help facilitate the entry of supplies — including food, water, fuel, and medical supplies — to Gaza and the release of hostages.
This week, it was reported that the U.S. and Qatar were working with Israel to negotiate a deal that would allow for the delivery of more humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and encourage the release of some hostages, possibly ten to 15 at a time. Six American hostages are reportedly included in that first batch.
Still, the Israeli prime minister is hesitant to commit to a broader cease-fire in the region. In fact, Kirby said Thursday that such a truce is not part of the equation because it would benefit Hamas and “legitimize what they did on October 7 and we simply are not going to stand for that at this time.”
Nearly a week ago, Netanyahu said Israel refuses a temporary ceasefire until all hostages are freed after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken suggested a prolonged humanitarian pause. The Biden administration official visited Israel for the fourth time since Hamas’s October 7 massacre of 1,400 people, most of whom were civilians.
“The fighting continues and there will be no ceasefire without the release of our hostages,” a Thursday statement issued by Netanyahu’s office read.