US President Joe Biden said the ceasefire periods in Gaza were “a step in the right direction” after the White House announced on Thursday that Israel had agreed to implement four-hour daily “ceasefires” in northern Gaza for humanitarian purposes.
Biden said there will be “two humanitarian corridors that allow residents to leave hostile areas in Gaza.”
The US president added that Israel “makes its own decisions” and is “committed to distinguishing between terrorists and civilians and fully complying with international law”.
Biden, on Thursday, responded to a question about the chances of enforcing a cease-fire: “No possibility,” in statements to reporters before traveling to Illinois.
US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters the cease-fires were “important steps” at a time when northern Gaza City is experiencing violent clashes.
He added, “Israel will begin enforcing cease-fires for four hours each day in areas of northern Gaza, announcing them three hours in advance.”
He continued, “The Israelis have informed us that there will be no military operations in those areas during the ceasefire period (and) this operation begins today.”
These ceasefires will allow aid to enter the region and allow civilians to escape the fighting, he said.
He stressed that Israel had opened “humanitarian corridors” in the past few days, allowing “thousands” of people to leave bombarded areas south to the northern Gaza Strip. Humanitarian aid is needed.”
Hamas militants launched the bloodiest attack in Israel’s history on October 7, killing 1,400 people, most of them civilians, most of whom died on the day of the attack, and taking around 240 hostages. to the Israeli authorities.
Israel responded with a series of bombings and ground operations in Gaza, killing more than 10,800 people, most of them women and children, according to the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry.
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