'Israel' to implement 4-hour pauses, ceasefire off the table: WH
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In what the White House called a "step in the right direction," the Israeli occupation will begin to implement 4-hour pauses in Gaza to allow people to "flee hostilities".
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Benjamin Netanyahu during a cabinet meeting in al-Quds on September 10, 2023 (AP)
In what the White House called a "step in the right direction," the Israeli occupation will begin to implement 4-hour pauses in Gaza to allow people to "flee hostilities".
It is unclear where they are supposed to "flee" considering that they are trapped in a besieged strip.
The pauses, according to White House National Security Spokesperson John Kirby, were the fruit of conversations between American and Israeli officials in the past several days, including conversations between US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
According to Kirby, the pauses would let people "escape danger", permit the delivery of humanitarian goods, and even serve as a means of freeing captives.
Evidently, what the US really means is that the pauses are there to free the captives that the Resistance is holding.
"We've been told by the Israelis that there will be no military operations in these areas over the duration of the pause, and that this process is starting today," Kirby explained.
"We understand that Israel will begin to implement four-hour pauses in areas of northern Gaza" with an announcement to come three hours in advance, he added.
This comes although the US has claimed repeatedly its rejection of the forced displacement of Palestinians from the north to the south of Gaza, saying a new Nakba will not be accepted.
Kirby also added that a ceasefire was completely off the table since it would allow Hamas to "legitimize what they did on Oct. 7 and we simply are not going to stand for that at this time."
Regarding the flow of humanitarian aid to Gazans, Kirby alleged that "a four-hour pause, for instance, will allow potentially to move humanitarian assistance into that localized area over that span of time."
Commenting on the pauses, Israeli commentator Barak Ravid said that according to officials, this is not new and that for several days now they announced pauses to allow people from northern Gaza to go south. "There is nothing more than that," a senior official told me, he said.
Israeli officials say this is not new and that for several days now they announced pauses to allow people from northern Gaza to go south. "There is nothing more than that", a senior official told me https://t.co/ysmjrAxrG6
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) November 9, 2023
Biden says 'no Possibility' for ceasefire
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden stated Thursday that there was no possibility for a ceasefire on "Israel's" part.
When asked by a reporter if there was a chance for a ceasefire following the "pauses deal", Biden responded by saying, "None, no possibility."
During his meetings in the Middle East, Blinken was faced with frustration by Arab leaders who are fed up with the blind support the Biden administration has been giving "Israel".
Blinken's response was to increase his opposition to a ceasefire, saying, “Those calling for an immediate ceasefire have an obligation to explain how to address the unacceptable result that would likely bring.”
