WASHINGTON

US President Joe Biden said Thursday there is "no possibility" of a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.

"None. No possibility," Biden said in response to a question about the chances of a cease-fire as he was left the White House for a trip to the state of Illinois.

Asked if he has any update on getting hostages out, Biden said he is "still optimistic."

"We’re not going to stop until we get them out," he said when asked about his message to families of hostages.

The remarks came hours after National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby announced that Israel agreed to institute four-hour daily humanitarian pauses in northern parts of the besieged enclave.

The brief hiatuses will allow humanitarian assistance to be moved into the areas where they are implemented and will allow Palestinians "to get out of harm's way," according to Kirby.

According to the Health Ministry in Gaza, more than 10,000 civilians have been killed, including over 4,400 children, since Oct. 7 when the conflict began following a cross-border attack by Hamas that killed in excess of 1,400 in Israel.