Israel considers "tactical pauses" in Gaza attack for aid and hostage evacuations, says Netanyahu

Tel Aviv: Despite increasing international pressure for a general ceasefire in the Gaza conflict, Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has stated that his country would consider "tactical little pauses" in the fighting to allow the entry of aid or the safe exit of hostages.

He described them as "an hour here, an hour there."

In a televised interview with a U.S. network, Netanyahu once again emphasised Israel's rejection of a general ceasefire while stating that Israel may need to maintain security responsibility over Gaza for an "indefinite period" after the ongoing war.

Addressing the possibility of humanitarian pauses during the conflict, which has received support from the United States, Netanyahu mentioned that brief interruptions have been considered in the past for the delivery of humanitarian supplies or the evacuation of individual hostages. However, he asserted that he doesn't foresee a comprehensive general ceasefire, reported AFP.

Israel insists that hostages taken by Hamas on October 7 should be released before any truce, while Hamas refuses to halt its attacks as long as Gaza is under assault.

Since the October 7 attack by Hamas, Israel has conducted airstrikes, imposed a blockade, and launched a ground offensive. This has led to concerns about deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza. According to the health ministry in Gaza, the death toll has surpassed 10,000, including 4,104 children.

Various international organisations have voiced their concerns over hospitals' inability to cope with the wounded and the growing shortage of food and clean water, with aid deliveries falling far short of the actual need.

In response to the situation, the heads of several United Nations bodies, including U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, World Health Organization head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and U.N. aid chief Martin Griffiths, issued a statement demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.

The United States has been actively pushing for pauses in the conflict to facilitate humanitarian aid deliveries. However, both the U.S. and Israel argue that a complete ceasefire could provide an opportunity for Hamas to regroup.

On Monday, U.S. President Joe Biden discussed the possibility of such pauses and hostage releases during a phone call with Prime Minister Netanyahu. While expressing support for Israel, Biden also emphasised the importance of protecting civilians in the conflict.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Monday that Gaza is becoming a "graveyard for children" and called for an urgent ceasefire.

The U.N. Security Council held closed-door meetings to address the ongoing crisis. However, reaching a consensus on a resolution has proven challenging, with a key point of contention being whether to call for a ceasefire, cessation of hostilities, or humanitarian pauses to facilitate aid access in Gaza.

When asked about post-conflict arrangements for Gaza, Netanyahu suggested that Israel might need to retain overall security responsibility for the region. President Biden's administration has informed the U.S. Congress of plans to provide $320 million in precision bombs for Israel.

Additionally, Israel announced on Monday that it was targeting Hezbollah positions in Lebanon in response to rocket attacks on northern Israeli cities. Hezbollah, backed by Iran, has been engaged in clashes with Israeli forces along the Lebanese-Israeli border since the beginning of the Hamas-Israel conflict on October 7.

Hamas reported launching 16 missiles toward Nahariyya and Southern Haifa in Israel.