Israel to begin four-hour pauses in northern Gaza to allow people flee war

WASHINGTON (Reuters): Israel will begin four-hour pauses in northern Gaza starting on Thursday to allow people to flee hostilities, the White House said in what it called a step in the right direction.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said the pauses 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 said the pauses would allow people to get out of harm’s way and for deliveries of humanitarian aid and could be used as a way to get hostages out.

“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.

“We understand that Israel will begin to implement four-hour pauses in areas of northern Gaza” with an announcement to come three hours in advance,” he said.

He called the news a step in the right direction.

“We think these are significant first steps here and obviously we want to see them continued for as long as they are needed,” he added.

Israeli troops inch their way closer to Hamas command centre in Gaza City

Kirby also said a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas militants is not in order because it would help Hamas and “legitimize what they did on October 7 and we simply are not going to stand for that at this time.”

CIA chief met with Mossad head, Qatari PM

Meanwhile, IA Director William Burns on Thursday met in Doha with the head of Israel’s Mossad spy agency and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman al-Thani to discuss the release of hostages held by Hamas, a U.S. official confirmed.

“The meeting took place, and Director Burns took part in it,” said the U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity. The official declined to provide further details.

Fifteen Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in West Bank – Palestinian health ministry

Fifteen Palestinians were killed and at least 20 others were injured by Israeli forces in a raid on Jenin city and refugee camp and in other Palestinian towns in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said on Thursday.

Israel’s military said it was conducting counter-terrorism raids in Jenin, but gave no further details.

At least 178 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since the deadly October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian Health Ministry figures.