US President Joe Biden has confirmed that in a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “I’ve asked for a pause longer than three days”, AFP reports.

When asked if he was frustrated with Netanyahu, he said, “It’s taken a little longer than I hoped.” But he has also called on Israel to obey the “laws of war,” avoid civilian casualties, let in humanitarian aid and work on getting out the hostages.

Privately Washington has been putting pressure on Israel to rein in its offensive and to allow pauses in the fighting. This has met with Israeli resistance, particularly with Israel not wishing to give any appearance of weakness.

But Israeli military spokesman Richard Hecht has appeared to downplay the four-hour humanitarian pauses announced earlier.

“It’s not a shift,” he told reporters. “These are tactical local pauses for humanitarian aid, which are limited in time and area.”