Blinken says humanitarian pauses important to discuss with Israeli leaders

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday said the United States believes humanitarian pauses can be a critical mechanism for protecting civilians while enabling Israel to defeat Hamas, adding that it was an important area of discussion with Israeli leaders in his meetings on Friday.

Speaking to reporters in Tel Aviv, Blinken said humanitarian pauses would help more humanitarian aid to get to Gaza and help countries pursue the goal of releasing hostages, but said the exact details of it were still to be ironed out.