From the Liveblog of
Monday, November 6, 2023
White House says Biden, Netanyahu discuss possibility of Gaza humanitarian ‘pause’
Jacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the potential for humanitarian pauses in the Israel-Hamas war, White House National Security Council chairman John Kirby says during a phone briefing with reporters.
The US believes such pauses would help enable civilians to reach safer locations in Gaza, ensure humanitarian aid is reaching civilians in need, and enable potential hostage releases, Kirby says.
“We consider ourselves at the beginning of this conversation, not at the end of it, so you can expect that we’re going to continue to advocate for temporary localized pauses,” the NSC spokesperson adds, while clarifying that the US still does not support a more permanent ceasefire because such a move would benefit Hamas.
Pressed on whether US diplomacy is still effective, given that both Israel and US allies in the region have refused to back humanitarian pauses, Kirby rejects the premise and notes that Jerusalem initially rejected allowing any aid into Gaza before coming around on the issue and okaying the entry of assistance from Egypt after significant US pressure.
Kirby says Biden also raised the need to “hold extremist settlers accountable” for their violence in the West Bank… “while reducing threats from terrorist groups that are operating there.”
The two leaders will speak again in the coming day.
Channel 12 news reports that Israel is bracing for pressure from the US on the issue of humanitarian pauses to become an outright demand in the next week to 10 days. The TV network quotes Minister Ron Dermer saying in internal discussions that if Israel does not heed the pressure, the political price will be steep.
