The White House said on Thursday that Israel will begin to implement daily four-hour pauses of military operations in northern Gaza to allow civilians to escape from the areas with fighting.

U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said in an online press briefing that the U.S. has been told by the Israelis that there will be no military operations in the areas for the duration of the pauses.

Kirby said that the stoppages will begin from Thursday and Israel would announce the timing three hours beforehand.

The spokesperson said the pauses are a positive first step that will provide civilians the opportunity to flee to safe areas, adding that Israel has also agreed to open a second humanitarian corridor along the Gaza coast in addition to the one in operation since Sunday.

Kirby said that thousands of people safely moved from the north to the south through the first corridor over the past few days, and the second one will also allow thousands of people to move to safety.