Israel agrees to four-hour daily pauses in Gaza fighting for civilians to flee, White House says

Israel has agreed to four-hour daily humanitarian pauses, but the chance of a long-term ceasefire is still being ruled out, ITV News Global Security Editor Rohit Kachroo reports

• The White House said on Thursday that Israel has agreed to put in place four-hour daily humanitarian pauses in its fighting in Gaza.

• It comes as the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned of the rapid spread of infectious diseases in Gaza, where health, water, and sanitation systems have completely shut down.

• The UN Human Rights chief has accused both Israel and Hamas of war crimes.

• Now in its second month, the fighting as caused the deaths of over 10,800 Palestinians and 1,400 people in Israel, according to their respective health ministries.

Israel has agreed to put in place four-hour daily humanitarian pauses in its assault on Hamas in northern Gaza, the White House says.

Joe Biden's administration says it has secured a second pathway for civilians to flee fighting from key areas of Israel's military campaign against proscribed terror group Hamas, via a coastal road joining the territory's main north-south highway.

The first humanitarian pause is to be announced on Thursday and Israel committed to announcing each four-hour window at least three hours in advance, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.

Israeli officials estimate that 239 hostages, who were taken captive by Hamas militants during its October 7 attack and dragged back to Gaza, are still being held in the Palestinian enclave.

Mr Kirby told reporters that humanitarian pauses could be "useful" to get those hostages back with their families, including the estimated 10 Americans being held captive.

Earlier on Thursday, reports had suggested that negotiations were underway to reach a three-day humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza in exchange for the release of about a dozen hostages held by Hamas.

The Associated Press said two officials from Egypt, one from the United Nations (UN) and the other a Western diplomat, disclosed the information on the condition of anonymity.

The deal, brokered by Qatar, Egypt, and the US, would enable more aid - including limited amounts of fuel - to enter the besieged territory to alleviate worsening conditions for the 2.3 million Palestinians trapped there.

CIA Director William Burns was in Doha on Thursday to discuss efforts to release hostages with the Qatari prime minister and the head of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency, according to a US official.

Qatar is a frequent go-between in international dealings with Hamas, and some top Hamas political leaders make their home in the Gulf country. The US official stressed Mr Burns was not playing a lead role in the negotiations.

President Biden said he asked the Israelis for a "pause longer than three days" during negotiations over the release of some hostages held by Hamas, though he said there was "no possibility" of a general ceasefire.

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron opened a Gaza aid conference on Thursday with an appeal for Israel to protect civilians, saying that "all lives have equal worth" and that fighting terrorism "can never be carried out without rules".

The conference brought together officials from over 50 countries, the UN and humanitarian organisations.

Now in its second month, the Israel-Hamas war has led to the deaths of over 10,818 Palestinians, the Gazan Health Ministry said in its update on Thursday - the figure includes 4,412 children and 2,198 women.

Since the Hamas attack in southern Israel on October 7, more than 1,400 people have been killed, Israeli authorities said.

More than 1.5 million people, around 70% of Gaza’s population, have fled their homes, and an estimated $1.2 billion is needed to respond to the crisis in Palestinian areas.

WHO warns of 'worrying trends' as risk of disease soars in Gaza

On Wednesday night, the World Heath Organisation (WHO)warned the intensified hostilities, overcrowding and disrupted health, water, and sanitation systems have prompted the rapid spread of infectious diseases.

"Lack of fuel has led to the shutting down of desalination plants, significantly increasing the risk of bacterial infections like diarrhea spreading as people consume contaminated water," the organisation said.

"Lack of fuel has also disrupted all solid waste collection, creating an environment conducive to the rapid and widespread proliferation of insects, rodents that can carry and transmit diseases."

Since mid-October 2023, over 33,551 cases of diarrhea have been reported, the WHO added.

Over half of these are among children under the age of five - a significant increase compared to an average of 2000 cases monthly in children under five throughout 2021 and 2022.

8,944 cases of scabies and lice, 1,005 cases of chickenpox, 12,635 cases of skin rash, and 54,866 cases of upper respiratory infections have also been reported.

UN's Human Rights chief says both Israel and Hamas are responsible for war crimes

Volker Türk said on Wednesday that collective punishment by Israel of Palestinian civilians and their forced evacuation, as well as atrocities committed by Palestinian armed groups on October 7 and their continued holding of hostages, amount to war crimes.

Mr Türk, standing in front of Egypt's Rafah border crossing into Gaza, told reporters: "These are the gates to a living nightmare."

"We have fallen off a precipice. This cannot continue," he said later in Cairo.

Mr Türk said international human rights and humanitarian law must be respected to help protect civilians and allow desperately needed aid to reach Gaza’s beleaguered population of some 2.3 million.

He added that the UN rights office received reports in recent days about an unspecified orphanage in northern Gaza with 300 children who need urgent help, but communications were down and access were impassable and unsafe, so "we cannot get to them".

Foreign secretary travels to Saudi Arabia for diplomatic talks

James Cleverly has travelled to Saudi Arabia as diplomatic efforts continue to prevent the Middle East crisis spiralling into wider war.

He will hold high-level talks with regional counterparts in efforts to prevent escalation, and work towards a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine and push to get humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Mr Cleverly said: "I have been focused on diplomatic efforts to secure the release of hostages, to ensure that foreign nationals can leave Gaza, to deter any escalation regionally and to facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid at scale.

More than 150 British nationals initially stuck in Gaza are believed to have made it through to Egypt. The country believes three British hostages are currently being held by Hamas.

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