According to a White House spokesman, Israel has agreed to regular four-hour pauses in its relentless assault on Hamas in selected areas of northern Gaza to allow civilians to flee.
The agreement is the culmination of President Biden's days of pressure as the death toll in Gaza rises
A senior administration official told Congress that casualties in Gaza could be "even higher than are being cited," and the World Health Organization said disease was on the rise.
The agreement builds on what Israel has done recently. Its forces have permitted people to flee northern Gaza for several hours at a time along a single southern corridor
"I've asked for a pause longer than three days," Vice President Joe Biden said. However, he has not joined calls for a full cease-fire by some in his party and around the world, arguing that Israel has a legitimate interest in destroying Hamas after its Oct.
7 terrorist attack killed over 1,400 people.
He dismissed the possibility of a cease-fire again yesterday, saying, "None. There is no way."