Israel has agreed to put in place four-hour daily humanitarian pauses in its assault on Hamas in northern Gaza, the White House says.
Joe Biden’s administration says it has secured a second pathway for civilians to flee fighting from key areas of Israel’s military campaign against Hamas, via a coastal road joining the territory’s main north-south highway.
The first humanitarian pause is to be announced on Thursday and Israel committed to announcing each four-hour window at least three hours in advance, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.
He told reporters that humanitarian pauses could be “useful” to “getting all 239 hostages back with their families to include the less than 10 Americans that we know are being held”.
Earlier on Thursday, reports had suggested that negotiations were underway to reach a three-day humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza in exchange for the release of about a dozen hostages held by Hamas.
The Associated Press said two officials from Egypt, one from the United Nations (UN) and the other a Western diplomat, disclosed the information on the condition of anonymity.
The deal, brokered by Qatar, Egypt, and the US, would enable more aid – including limited amounts of fuel – to enter the besieged territory to alleviate worsening conditions for the 2.3 million Palestinians trapped there.
Mr Biden said he asked the Israelis for a “pause longer than three days” during negotiations over the release of some hostages held by Hamas, though he said there was “no possibility” of a general ceasefire.
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron 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”.
The conference brought together officials from over 50 countries, the UN and humanitarian organisations.
Now in its second month, the Israel-Hamas war has led to the deaths of over 10,818 Palestinians, the Gazan Health Ministry said in its update on Thursday – the figure includes 4,412 children and 2,198 women.
Since the Hamas attack in southern Israel on October 7, more than 1,400 people have been killed, Israeli authorities said, while 239 hostages were taken into Gaza by the militant group.
More than 1.5 million people, around 70% of Gaza’s population, have fled their homes, and an estimated $1.2 billion is needed to respond to the crisis in Palestinian areas.
On Wednesday night, the World Heath Organisation (WHO)warned the intensified hostilities, overcrowding and disrupted health, water, and sanitation systems have prompted the rapid spread of infectious diseases.
“Lack of fuel has led to the shutting down of desalination plants, significantly increasing the risk of bacterial infections like diarrhea spreading as people consume contaminated water,” the organisation said.
“Lack of fuel has also disrupted all solid waste collection, creating an environment conducive to the rapid and widespread proliferation of insects, rodents that can carry and transmit diseases.”
Since mid-October 2023, over 33,551 cases of diarrhea have been reported, the WHO added. – ITV.
