The United States has assured that Israel has agreed to allow daily four-hour “humanitarian pauses” in northern Gaza to allow civilians to leave.. These periods, according to White House National Security spokesman John Kirby, begin this Thursday and during them “there will be no military operations.”

Kirby admitted that there remains “concern” about the possibility that the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas may try to prevent the departure of civilians. In any case, he called for civilians to try to leave the “active” areas of the conflict, and also considered it “crucial” that humanitarian aid be extended to the areas to which these people are moving.

The White House spokesman recalled that the pauses in southern Gaza have allowed the departure of thousands of people and the entry of humanitarian aid, but this must increase. He thus assessed that 106 trucks have entered southern Gaza through the Rafah crossing in Egypt, but he hopes that this number will rise as soon as possible.. “We need to see more and we need to see more soon,” said Kirby, who considered that 150 trucks of humanitarian aid should enter a day, and although there are days when it is not possible, that should be, at least, the objective.

Kirby stressed that Israel is fighting an enemy – the Hamas militias – that is “embedded in the civilian population, using hospitals and civilian infrastructure in an effort to protect itself” and that puts the “innocent Palestinian people” at greater risk.. But he also insisted that Israel has “the obligation to fully comply with international law,” and considered that these humanitarian pauses are “a step in the right direction because they seek to give civilians “the opportunity to reach safer areas.”

Asked if these pauses were part of a broader agreement that would involve the release of hostages, Kirby said he was not going to “negotiate” in public.. But he did emphasize that the US. continues to work with its allies in the region to try to free the hostages, and considered that these pauses will be “useful” for the “safe” exit of hostages if necessary.