Biden, Netanyahu discussed ‘tactical pauses’ in Gaza strikes: White House

US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the potential for “tactical pauses” in fighting in Gaza for humanitarian reasons and possible hostage releases in talks on Monday, according to a spokesperson.

White House spokesperson John Kirby said the US and Israeli governments would continue to be in touch on such potential temporary pauses and that Biden and Netanyahu agreed to continue talks in the coming days. “You can expect that we’re going to continue to advocate for temporary and localized pauses in the fighting,” Kirby told reporters. “We consider ourselves at the beginning of this conversation, not at the end of it.”

Those conversations came as more Americans are expected to exit Gaza on Monday and as more aid enters the territory, Kirby said. Biden and Netanyahu also discussed the situation in the West Bank. “We know – gotta get more trucks in. It’s still just a trickle,” Kirby said. “Gotta get more people out. Still just a trickle.”

The White House said that fewer than 30 aid trucks entered Gaza in the last 24 hours.

The White House, which maintains that a general ceasefire would not be an appropriate step, has been pushing for shorter pauses in strikes to accomplish specific humanitarian goals.