Israel agrees to 4-hour daily pauses for Gazans to flee
Israel will implement four-hour military pauses each day in its ongoing war with Hamas to allow civilians to flee northern Gaza, the United States (US) said. US President Joe Biden called it a "step in the right direction," adding that there will be two humanitarian corridors for people to escape. He said aid delivery to Gaza through Egypt's Rafah border is increasing.
Why does this story matter?
Israel has categorically rejected the growing calls for a ceasefire, citing over 200 hostages taken by Hamas during its October 7 attack, which killed 1,400 people. The US supported Israel's refusal to agree to a ceasefire but pushed for "humanitarian pauses" amid the war, in which Israel has been attacking Gaza, killing over 10,800 people, including more than 4,400 children, so far.
Israel will not conquer, occupy, govern Gaza: Netanyahu
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who earlier hinted that Israel will take over Gaza after the war, said, "We don't seek to conquer Gaza, we don't seek to occupy Gaza, and we don't seek to govern Gaza." He added that if necessary, a "credible force... will enter Gaza and kill the killers" to prevent the re-emergence of a Hamas-like entity.
Israeli attacks near hospitals
The Palestinian health ministry said 11 missiles hit the vicinity of the Indonesian Hospital on Thursday. The Al-Nasr Children's Hospital was attacked twice while an Israeli airstrike hit a car in the yard of Al-Shifa Hospital—Gaza's largest medical facility. Israel claims that Hamas's main command center is located in and under the hospital complex, and senior Hamas leaders are using it as a shield.
18 killed in West Bank, total deaths reach 181
Apart from Gaza, Israeli forces killed 18 Palestinians in the West Bank in a daytime raid, including 14 in the Jenin refugee camp, The Guardian reported. The death toll in the Palestinian territory, under occupation since 1967, has reached 181 since the war flared up.
US bombs Syrian munition depot, Houthis take down Reaper drone
Separately, the US bombed an ammunition depot in Syria using two F-15 fighter jets. The Pentagon says Iranian-backed groups are trying to take advantage of the Israel-Hamas war. Meanwhile, Yemen's Houthi rebels shot down a US Reaper drone and launched missiles at various targets in Israel. Two bases of US troops in Iraq were attacked, while Israel said it struck Hezbollah infrastructure in Lebanon.
