US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have discussed the idea of "tactical pauses" in the fighting in the Gaza Strip.

In a statement on Monday, the White House said the two leaders held telephone talks on the latest developments in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank.

It said they discussed the possibility of tactical pauses for humanitarian reasons in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic group Hamas.

The Biden administration used the term "tactical pauses" in its statement, rather than "humanitarian pauses" it has used up to now.

In response to an NHK inquiry about the difference in wording, a White House official did not mention the reason but just said the US position remains unchanged.

White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters that Biden and Netanyahu agreed to speak again in the coming days.

He also said the Biden administration does not support a "general ceasefire," which it thinks will benefit Hamas.