Israel-Gaza live updates: 3 premature babies die at Al-Shifa Hospital, doctor says

Israel will start to implement four-hour pauses in fighting in areas of northern Gaza each day, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby announced Thursday.

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Israel agrees to 4-hour pauses in Gaza each day

The pauses will be announced three hours ahead of time in fighting areas in northern Gaza.

"We've been told by the Israelis that there will be no military operations in these areas over the duration of the pause, and that this process is starting today," Kirby said.

Israel Defense Forces spokesman Richard Hecht said the pauses are already being held. Kirby said the pauses will be announced three hours ahead of time.

Kirby said these pauses are a "step in the right direction" and "significant first steps" to help civilians reach safer areas, away from the fighting.

"A four-hour pause for instance will allow, potentially, to move humanitarian assistance into that localized area, over that span of time. It could also provide enough of a window to help people get out of harm's way," Kirby said. "It could also provide brief windows of opportunity for safe passage for those hostages from where they're being held, to safer ground."

He said the Israelis have also agreed to a second humanitarian corridor that will allow people to leave hostile areas of northern Gaza.

"The second route along the coastal road will enable many more thousands to reach safer areas in the south," Kirby said. "Of course, we remain concerned that Hamas will discourage or prevent civilians from fleeing. At the same time, when encouraging people to leave areas of active operations, it's critical, absolutely vital, that humanitarian supplies and assistance are expanded in the areas where people are moving, in this case, southern Gaza."

Hecht, the IDF spokesman, stressed that it will only be "tactical, local pauses for humanitarian aid of a limited time and area," and the evacuation corridors would be for people to move south for humanitarian aid.

-ABC News' Justin Ryan Gomez

President Joe Biden confirmed that he has pressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a three-day pause in Gaza. Biden said he's also asked for an even bigger window to get the remaining hostages out.

Biden told reporters his message to the families of hostages is: "We're not going to stop until we get them out."

Israeli officials say Hamas had 239 hostages in Gaza. Four hostages were released from Gaza over the last few weeks: two American women and two Israeli women. The Israel Defense Forces said a fifth hostage, a female Israeli soldier, was rescued during the Israeli military's ground operations in Gaza.

Asked if there would be a cease-fire, Biden responded, "None. No possibility."

-ABC News' Justin Ryan Gomez and Tia Humphries

CIA Director William Burns took part in a meeting in Qatar regarding a potential hostage deal, a U.S. official confirmed.

Burns also traveled to Egypt "where he met with his intelligence counterparts and country leaders," the official said. "They discussed issues of mutual concern, including the situation in Gaza and the USA commitment to ensuring humanitarian aid there."

A "general" cease-fire would benefit Hamas and "legitimize" the group's Oct. 7 surprise attack on Israel, U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said Thursday.

"A general cease-fire means everybody lays your arms down and you talk about the end of this conflict," Kirby told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos on "Good Morning America." "To do that right now would be a benefit to hamas. It would give them time. It would also legitimatize what they did on October 7th."

He said Israeli military forces were in the middle of an "operational campaign" targeting Hamas leadership.

"We believe Israel has a right to do that and we'll continue to make sure they get the tools and capabilities," Kirby said.

But there may be a need for a "pause" if some of the about 240 hostages taken by Hamas are to be released, Kirby said

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Top White House spokesperson on efforts to free hostages held by Hamas

National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby discusses negotiations to free hostages held by Hamas and the United States’ latest airstrike in Syria.

"What we want to make sure is not only can we secure their release, George, but that when we get that release secured, that we can get them safely out of Gaza and into Israel, into safer hands," he said. "That requires this idea of a temporary humanitarian pause."

-ABC News' Kevin Shalvey