JERUSALEM - Israel has not agreed to any ceasefires during its military campaign against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, but will continue to allow brief, localised pauses to let in humanitarian aid, the Israeli military said on Thursday.

"There's no ceasefire, I repeat there's no ceasefire. What we are doing, that four-hour window, these are tactical, local pauses for humanitarian aid," army spokesman Lt. Col. Richard Hecht said.

Earlier, the White House said Israel would begin daily four-hour pauses in the northern Gaza Strip to enable Palestinians to flee hostilities in the coastal enclave. REUTERS