US President Joe Biden has said Israel has agreed to initiate humanitarian "pauses" in its offensive on Hamas group in the Gaza Strip, calling it a "step in the right direction". Giving his "word" on always advocating for civilian safety and focus on increasing aid to the affected areas, Biden said the pauses will help civilians who are fleeing the fighting.

The White House has said there will be four-hour pauses every day in northern Gaza, and a warning will be given three hours before.

For weeks, I've been speaking with Israel’s leaders about the importance of humanitarian pauses in the fighting to get civilians to safety, support the freeing of hostages, and increase the flow of food, water, and medicine into Gaza.Here's the latest on those conversations:

— President Biden (@POTUS) November 9, 2023

Biden took to social media platform X, formerly Twitter, to write that he has been speaking with Israel's leaders for weeks to initiate humanitarian pauses.

"As of today, there will be two humanitarian passages that will allow people to flee hostile areas in Gaza. And they have already enabled thousands to reach safety," he said on X.

Biden also said the US is doing everything in its power to increase humanitarian assitance and supplies and is aiming to send 150 trucks of supplies each day.

"Let me be clear: Israel makes its own decisions. They are fighting an enemy embedded in the civilian population, which places innocent Palestinian people at risk. They ahve an obligation to distingusih between terrorists and civilians and fully comply with international law," he said.

He said the pauses will help civilians get to safer areas and are a step in the right direction."You have my word: I will continue to advocate for civilian safety and focus on increasing aid to alleviate the suffering of the people of Gaza," he wrote.

Israel has no plans to reoccupy Gaza, says PM Benjamin Netanyahu

Meanwhile, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel is not planning on reoccupying Gaza, news agency AFP reported. "We don't seek to govern Gaza. We don't seek to occupy it, but we seek to give it and us a better future," Netanyahu said, the news agency reported.

Over 10,000 people have been killed in Gaza since October 7 and more than 25,000 have been injured, as per the Gaza Health Ministry.