Israeli Prime Minister Affirms Fighting Continues And No Ceasefire Without Hostage Release

JAKARTA - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that fighting continues and there will be no ceasefire without the release of hostages by Hamas, after Israel previously said it approved a military operation hiatus.

"The battle continues and there will be no ceasefire without the release of our hostages," PM Netanyahu said in a statement.

"Israel allowed safe travel corridors from north to south, as did 50,000 Gazans yesterday," Prime Minister Netanyahu continued.

"We again call on Gazan civilians to flee to the south," he said.

Meanwhile, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said on Thursday the Hamas group had not submitted a reasonable proposal regarding the release of hostages.

"Although there are so many people who are third parties or send optimistic messages to the news media, I would say frankly, according to my knowledge, until now, there is no real and substantial information that shows real offers about any processes discussed," President Herzog told NBC News in an interview.

"And this is very unfortunate. Of course we are working, both in the military and in other fields, to repatriate them," he continued.

The statement coincided with US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Israel would start implementing a military operations hiatus for four hours every day in the northern region of Gaza.

"We have been told by Israel that there will be no military operations in the region during the break and this process will begin today," Kirby said.

He said the United States welcomed the development, calling the pause a "step in the right direction."

"We have urged Israel to minimize civilian casualties and do everything they can to reduce that number," Kirby said, saying the pause would provide "a few hours of breathing room" for civilians to avoid danger.

This pause will also provide a "short window" for possible safe travel for the hostages detained by Hamas, Kirby continued.