Tel Aviv/Gaza, 19 December 2023 (dpa/MIA) - Israel's President Isaac Herzog has signalled the possibility of another pause in fighting in Gaza to facilitate the release of further hostages.

"Israel is ready for another humanitarian pause and additional humanitarian aid to enable the release of hostages," he told diplomats on Tuesday, according to a spokesman.

Media reports from Monday suggest that Mossad chief David Barnea, CIA Director William Burns and Qatari Prime Minister Abdulrahman Al Thani were discussing renewed negotiations with Hamas in Warsaw.

According to Israeli estimates, at least 109 hostages are still being held in the Gaza Strip as well as the bodies of several kidnapped people.

According to Herzog, Israel is making enormous efforts to get more aid supplies into the Gaza Strip. The country is controlling aid deliveries for fear of arms smuggling. Israel's president accused international aid organizations including the UN of not being fast enough in transporting supplies.

According to Herzog, only between 100 and 125 lorries per day arrived in the coastal area. It would be possible for 350 to enter - provided the UN made an effort, the Israeli president said. Before the war began, an average of around 500 lorries arrived in the Gaza Strip every day.

The UN had recently complained about difficulties in receiving aid supplies, due to the lack of lorries in the Gaza Strip, telecommunications failures and fighting.

Following growing international criticism of the actions of the Israeli army and the civilian casualties of the Gaza war, Herzog emphasised that his country was not fighting against the civilian population in the coastal region. "They are not our enemies. We are fighting against Hamas, they are the enemy."

Photo: archive