Israel to commence a 4-hour truce daily in military operations in selected areas of northern Gaza

The US has said that Israel will commence a 4-hour truce daily in military operations in selected areas of northern Gaza in order to allow humanitarian aid from UN and other agencies to flow into the enclave. Media reports quoting White House officials said, the pauses are meant to allow for humanitarian assistance to get into the besieged enclave and allow civilians to flee the fighting zone.

John Kirby, the National Security Council spokesman said, Israel would announce the timing of the pauses. He said, the Israeli decision for humanitarian pauses followed intense discussions between President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin



Netanyahu. 

Biden added that while the number of aid trucks bringing essential assistance into the Strip through Egypt’s Rafah border was increasing, the US was aiming for at least 150 trucks a day. On last count, that number was 106 on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, in a televised interview on Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war in Gaza will continue until Hamas is defeated. He also made it clear that Israel had no intention of occupying the blockaded territory but it did want to "see Gaza demilitarised, deradicalised and rebuilt".