“A step in the right direction”: US on Israel implementing 4-hour pauses in areas of Northern Gaza

Washington, DC [US]: As Israel is set to implement four-hour pauses in areas of northern Gaza each day, the White House has said that these pauses are in the right direction as Israel is fighting an enemy that is embedded in its civilian population.

It, however, added that the country has an obligation to comply with international law to help civilians reach safer areas.

“Israel makes its own decisions. It’s fighting an enemy that is embedded in the civilian population, using hospitals and civilian infrastructure in an effort to shield itself from accountability and to place the innocent Palestinian people at greater risk,” White House National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said during the press gaggle.

“At the same time, Israel has an obligation to fully comply with international law, and we believe these pauses are a step in the right direction, particularly to help ensure that civilians have an opportunity to reach safer areas away from the active fighting,” he added.

Kirby further stated that there will now be two humanitarian corridors allowing people to flee the areas of hostilities in the northern part of Gaza.

“First, there will now be two humanitarian corridors allowing people to flee the areas of hostilities in the northern part of Gaza. The first such corridor, open between four and five hours every day for the past few days, has already enabled many thousands of people to reach safer areas in the south, away from the main area of ground operations.

The second route, along the coastal road, will enable many more thousands to reach safer areas in the south. Of course, we remain concerned that Hamas will discourage or prevent civilians from fleeing,” a White House official readout quoted Kirby as saying.

Kirby further called for the expansion of humanitarian supplies in Gaza and added that there will be difficulties in doing but one must also be prepared for that.

“At the same time, when encouraging people to leave areas of active operations, it’s critical–absolutely vital — that humanitarian supplies and assistance are expanded in the areas where people are moving — in this case, southern Gaza,” he said.

“Now, there were about 96 trucks two days ago that crossed in and 106 trucks yesterday. We need to see more, and we need to see more soon, with an aim for no less than 150 trucks per day, continuously, every day. That’s the goal that we–we–want to strive for, Kirby added.

US President Joe Biden has said that there is “no possibility” of a ceasefire in Gaza. Biden said that the US government will not stop until it gets the hostages out.

Speaking to reporters about the chances of a Gaza ceasefire, Biden said, “None, No possibility.”

Asked about an update on getting hostages out, he said, “We’re still optimistic.” In his message to the families of the hostages in Gaza, Biden said, “We’re not going to stop until we get them out.”

Speaking to reporters before Air Force One departure at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, Biden said that the retaliatory strikes in the Middle East are working “in the sense that we’re hitting the targets strategically.” Biden said he had asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a more than three-day pause.

Asked whether he had asked Netanyahu to pause for three days to get the hostages out for that length of time, Biden said, ” Yes. I’ve asked for even a longer pause for some of them.”

Asked if he was frustrated with Netanyahu, Biden admitted, “It’s taking a little longer than I hoped.”

As many as 50,000 Palestinians have moved from northern to southern Gaza through the humanitarian corridors set up the Israel, the UN Office for the Coordinator of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has announced, The Times of Israel reported.

Palestinians have been able to evacuate northern Gaza due to a formalized humanitarian pause in the fighting that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) implemented in several neighbourhoods in northern Gaza for the first time after pressure from the Biden administration.