TRANSCRIPT
The United States says Israel has agreed to put in place four-hour daily humanitarian pauses in its assault on Hamas in northern Gaza.
U-S National Security Council spokesman John Kirby says the Israelis have committed to announcing each four-hour window at least three hours in advance.
Mr Kirby has added Israel will be opening a second corridor for civilians to flee south with a coastal road joining the territory's main north-south highway.
"There will now be two humanitarian corridors allowing people to flee the areas of hostility in the northern part of Gaza. The first such corridor opened between four and five hours every day for the past few days has already enabled many thousands of people to reach safer areas in the south away from the main area of ground operations. The second route along the coastal road will enable many more thousands to reach safer areas in the south."
Confirmation of these developments came a few hours later from the Israeli side.
The Israeli army's Head of Co-ordination and Liaison Administration for Gaza, Colonel Moshe Tetro, says humanitarian aid will be provided by the United Nations, Egypt, the U-S and others.
“We are allowing the entrance of humanitarian aid to Gaza, by the request of the American administration, and with coordination with the Egyptians, the U.N. and other relevant stakeholders. More than 700 truck loaded with food, medical supplies, water and humanitarian aid for shelters entered to the Gaza Strip.”
A conference has been held in Paris in an attempt to coordinate aid efforts towards Gaza.
During the conference, several non-government organisations have said a ceasefire should be the real target, with Medecins du Monde calling the enclave "a giant open-air cemetery".
Medecins du Monde Vice President Jean-Francois Corty.
French then vo: "People die of everything in Gaza. They die of severe injuries, of burns, of being crushed by crumbling buildings by the hundreds. They also die of acute and chronic diseases, even common ones, which have known remedies but which they don't have access to because of the blockade. They die of complications related to difficult childbirths. Finally, they die in pain, without analgesics and without anaesthesia. In fact, Gaza has become a giant open-air cemetery."
The Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority, Mohammad Shtayyeh, has called for an end to hostilities.
According to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, over 10,700 people have lost their lives since the start of the conflict.
“How many Palestinians must be killed for the war to stop? Is six children every hour enough? Is four women killed every hour enough? Is 10,000 killed in 30 days enough?”
Mr Shtayyeh has added Israel is targeting all Palestinians.
“What Israel is doing is not waging against Hamas, but against the whole Palestinian people.”
Meanwhile, Palestinian militants have released videos of two hostages being held in Gaza.
The videos by the armed wing of the Palestinian group Islamic Jihad in Gaza showed an elderly woman and a young boy, who are among around 240 hostages.
The group says it's prepared to release the two for humanitarian and medical reasons.
Israel's military spokesman, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, has described the videos as a "sign of life," but says they are part of their captors' campaign of "psychological warfare".
"This evening, documentation was disseminated that shows a sign of life from the dearly beloved Hanna (Katzir) and Yagil (Jacob), from inside the Gaza Strip. We embrace them, and their families, and say to them and to all the families of the captives and the captives hear me. We have not missed a single opportunity and we will not miss any opportunity when it comes to returning the captives."
