US says Gaza drone flights suspended amid ongoing Israel-Hamas truce

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US military said Tuesday that it paused reconnaissance drone flights above the besieged Gaza Strip amid an ongoing truce between Hamas and Israel.

"In light of the operational pause, and in compliance with the agreement reached between Israel and Hamas, we are not currently conducting those ISR flights, and so those have been paused for now," Pentagon spokesperson Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder told reporters.

He was using an acronym to refer to intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, or ISR.

The US publicly confirmed it was conducting drone flights above Gaza on Nov. 3 and said they were being operated to assist efforts to free the more than 200 hostages taken captive Oct. 7 when Hamas conducted a cross-border attack on Israel.

Israel and Hamas agreed to an initial four-day truce Friday. That was extended Monday for an additional two days to facilitate the delivery of more humanitarian aid into Gaza, as well as the release of additional hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian detainees held in Israeli prisons.

Negotiators are working on an additional extension, which US President Joe Biden has said he is seeking to broker.

Israel launched its widespread military campaign against Gaza following the cross-border attack that killed more than 1,200 people, according to official Israeli figures.

More than 15,000 people, including 6,150 children and 4,000 women, have been killed in Gaza, according to health authorities in the enclave.