Good afternoon. Benjamin Netanyahu has walked back suggestions Israeli forces would control security in Gaza for an “indefinite period”, saying: “We don’t seek to conquer Gaza, we don’t seek to occupy Gaza and we don’t seek to govern Gaza.” It comes after the US president, Joe Biden, said occupying the territory would be a “big mistake”.
Israel is to allow four-hour “humanitarian pauses” in parts of northern Gaza to let people leave, the US has said, though Israeli’s military stressed it had not agreed to a ceasefire. It comes as Palestinian officials say Israeli airstrikes landed on or near at least three hospitals today.
