Crisis in Gaza as Israel warns of long war with Hamas
By Kathleen Magramo, Christian Edwards and Ed Upright, CNN
21 min ago
New US ambassador will travel to Israel with secretary of state
From CNN's Jennifer Hansler
Newly confirmed United States Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew will travel with Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Israel Thursday.
Lew will take up his post in Jerusalem at a time when the stakes could not be higher: Israel’s expanding ground operations and the resulting toll on civilians has seen increasing condemnation by the Arab world, evidenced in part by Jordan's decision to recall its own ambassador to Israel.
Blinken's visit: President Joe Biden's administration has ramped up its public rhetoric about the need for Israel to abide by international humanitarian law, but it has not condemned the country's actions in Gaza. That is expected to be a key aspect of Blinken’s conversations with Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as will the need for Israel not to become an occupying force in Gaza.
State Department spokesperson Matt Miller said Wednesday that Blinken "wants to get an update from Israel on their military objectives and their plans for meeting those objectives" and "to talk about ways that we can increase the flow of humanitarian assistance and get to the point where it’s a sustained, continuous flow getting in every day that meets the needs of innocent civilians in Gaza."
“He wants to talk about preventing the conflict from spreading. He wants to talk about the ability to get hostages back,” Miller said. “And as I said, he will talk directly with the Israeli government, as he has previously, as the president has previously, about our expectation that ... in conducting this military campaign, that they do it – do so in full compliance with international humanitarian law and the laws of war, and we will be very direct about that.”
The growing Israeli settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank is also expected to be a major topic of conversation.
“We have made quite clear to the government of Israel that we are very concerned about settler violence in the West Bank,” Miller said Wednesday. “We find it incredibly destabilizing. We find it counterproductive to Israel’s long-term security in addition to, of course, being extremely harmful to the Palestinians living in the West Bank.”
“And we have sent a very clear message to them that it’s unacceptable, it needs to stop, and those responsible for it need to be held accountable,” he said.
Gaza evacuations continue, as Biden supports humanitarian "pause" in fighting. Here’s what you need to know
From CNN's Christian Edwards
More foreign nationals and injured Palestinians have arrived in Egypt from Gaza, a day after the Rafah crossing opened to allow the first evacuations since Israel’s siege of the enclave began nearly four weeks ago. At least 400 foreign nationals and 60 injured people are expected to leave the strip over the course of the day.
Meanwhile, Israel bombed the densely-populated Jabalya refugee camp in northern Gaza for the second time in two days Wednesday, prompting the United Nations' Human Rights Office to express concerns that the strikes "could amount to war crimes." The Israeli military said the actions targeted Hamas commanders and the militant group’s infrastructure.
And, as the global outcry against the suffering of Gazans grows, US President Joe Biden – who has offered full-throated support for Israel but increasingly raised concerns about the situation in Gaza – also called for a humanitarian “pause” in the Israel-Hamas war, to allow aid to reach civilians and help facilitate the release of hostages.
Here are the latest developments:
- Rafah evacuations: Egypt has said it will help evacuate nearly 7,000 foreign citizens from more than 60 countries via the Rafah crossing, according to a statement from its foreign ministry. The first foreign nationals were able to cross from Gaza to Egypt Wednesday. Evacuations resumed Thursday and are expected to continue over the coming days. Six US citizens were among those evacuated Thursday. They are believed to be among some 400 American citizens plus their family members – about 1,000 people total – to be stuck in Gaza amid the deepening humanitarian crisis. A convoy of ambulances arrived at the crossing Thursday and were waiting to pick up injured Palestinians, an Egyptian border official told a CNN reporter on the ground.
- Jabalya strikes: The Israeli airstrike that again rocked the Gazan refugee camp of Jabalya on Wednesday killed at least 80 people, the director of Gaza’s Indonesian hospital Dr. Atef Al Kahlout told CNN. He said the majority of casualties were women and children, and that hundreds more people were injured. Video from the blast site showed catastrophic damage surrounding a deep crater in the neighborhood and people digging through the rubble searching for bodies. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that the blast in the Falluja neighborhood of the camp was due to an airstrike, which had “eliminated” Hamas terrorists.
- Biden comments: US President Joe Biden said Wednesday evening that he supports a humanitarian “pause” in the war to allow for the release of more hostages held in Gaza, responding to a protester who called for a ceasefire. As Biden was speaking at a fundraiser in Minneapolis, he was heckled by an audience member demanding a ceasefire – which prompted the president to explain his own position: “I think we need a pause. A pause means give time to get the prisoners out,” Biden said. Many Western leaders have stopped short of calling for an outright ceasefire, stressing Israel has the right to defend itself against Hamas, but have appealed for a humanitarian “pause” to allow aid to get into Gaza and hostages to get out.
- UN concern over "disproportionate attacks:" The United Nations Human Rights Office warned that Israeli airstrikes on the Jabalya refugee camp “could amount to war crimes.” In a post on social media Wednesday, the office said: “Given the high number of civilian casualties and the scale of destruction following Israeli airstrikes on the Jabalya refugee camp, we have serious concerns that these are disproportionate attacks that could amount to war crimes.” Israel’s bombardment of Gaza has lasted nearly four weeks and killed at least 8,700 people, according to figures released by the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah, drawn from sources in the Hamas-controlled enclave.
- Diplomatic backlash: Israel’s strikes on Jabalya have further strained its diplomatic relations with its Arab neighbors and a number of other countries across the world. Bolivia cut diplomatic ties with Israel on Tuesday, citing “crimes against humanity” against Palestinians. In the wake of Wednesday’s strike, Jordan recalled its ambassador to Israel. Bahrain did the same on Thursday, adding that the Israeli ambassador had departed the country and that economic relations with Israel had been suspended.
At least 33 journalists killed in Israel-Hamas conflict since war began, Committee to Protect Journalists says
From CNN's Hande Atay Alam
At least 33 journalists have been killed since the latest Israel-Hamas conflict began on October 7, according to a Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) statement released Thursday.
The death toll among journalists includes 28 Palestinians, four Israelis and one Lebanese, the CPJ said.
Eight journalists have been reported injured, and nine others have been reported missing or detained, CPJ said.
US pediatrician is "relieved" to be out of Gaza, she says. But her thoughts remain with the people still there
From CNN’s Amy Simonson
An American pediatrician who crossed into Egypt Wednesday after being stuck in Gaza told CNN she is "doing pretty well," but her thoughts remain with Gazans who remain in the enclave.
"I think I’m in a halo of just relieved to be here," Dr. Barbara Zind said Thursday, speaking to CNN's Poppy Harlow from Cairo. "But I’m just feeling awful for the devastation that the Gazan people are going through right now.”
"There is really no safe place for the Gazan people,” she said.
Zind, a pediatrician from Grand Junction, Colorado, and Ramona Okumura, another aid worker, were among the Americans who left Gaza via the Rafah border crossing on Wednesday.
Zind said she and others from her group were staying in United Nations facilities that were filled with Gazans seeking refuge, adding the amount of toilets and water “inadequate for the tens of thousands of people who showed up.”
"We kept running out of water, and that was water to flush the toilet," Zind said. "We were always fortunate to have drinking water which was not true of the Gazans that were just outside the fence from us. They were running out of drinking water.”
The experience of the last several weeks has yet to fully sink in, Zind indicated. But after the "long process" of leaving Gaza and arriving in Cairo, she said, "I really enjoyed the shower last night."
Biden says he supports humanitarian "pause" in Gaza conflict, after heckler demanded ceasefire
From CNN's Kevin Liptak, Kyle Feldscher, Nikki Carvajal and Christian Edwards
US President Joe Biden said Wednesday evening he was supportive of a humanitarian pause in the Israel-Hamas conflict to allow for the release of more hostages held in Gaza, responding to a protester who called for a ceasefire.
As Biden was speaking at a fundraiser in Minneapolis, he was heckled by a person in the audience who shouted, “As a rabbi I need you to call for a ceasefire right now,” according to a CNN reporter inside the room.
The president responded by saying he supported a break in fighting to allow for the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Biden and other administration officials have not endorsed a ceasefire.
I think we need a pause. A pause means give time to get the prisoners out,” Biden said.
Biden administration officials have previously called for a pause, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the United Nations. Biden himself addressed the idea of humanitarian pauses during his news conference last week and suggested he raised the idea directly with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. So far, Israel has appeared to reject the idea.
Many Western leaders, stressing Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas following its attack on October 7, have stopped short of calling for an outright ceasefire in Gaza, and instead have appealed for a humanitarian “pause” to the fighting.
Reporters accompanying the president said the heckler was escorted out by security as she was singing “ceasefire now.” The fundraiser audience responded by chanting “four more years.” The demonstrator told reporters her name was Rabbi Jessica Rosenberg.
“I understand the emotion,” Biden said as he continued his remarks. “This is incredibly complicated for the Israelis. It’s incredibly complicated for the Muslim world as well,” he said. “I supported a two state solution, I have from the very beginning.”
“The fact of the matter is that Hamas is a terrorist organization. A flat-out terrorist organization,” Biden said.
"Ceasefire" or "pause:" The deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza has sparked huge international concern but, more than three weeks since the outbreak of violence, the world has so far failed to unite around a common position.
Those advocating a “pause” say it would allow aid to reach the more than 2 million civilians living in the besieged enclave, and might help facilitate the release of more than 200 hostages captured by Hamas. The term also implies that fighting could resume once more aid has reached civilians.
196 Jordanians were evacuated from Gaza through Rafah border crossing on Wednesday
From CNN’s Caroline Faraj in Dubai and Zeena Saifi in Jerusalem
Nearly 200 Jordanian citizens were evacuated from Gaza through the Rafah border crossing into Egypt on Wednesday, according to a statement Thursday from the Jordanian Foreign Ministry.
Of the 196 evacuated, 53 are already en route to Jordan on a Royal Jordanian Air Force plane that had earlier dropped off humanitarian and medical aid for Gaza at El Arish International Airport, the statement said.
The Foreign Ministry said Wednesday there were 284 Jordanian citizens present in Gaza, noting the evacuation process will “continue as long as necessary, and in different ways and means.”
More context: The release of the foreign nationals from Gaza began Wednesday, the result of a deal brokered by Qatar between Israel, Hamas and Egypt, in coordination with the US, that would allow for the release of those individuals, alongside critically injured civilians from Gaza, according to sources familiar with the talks.
Two shepherds found dead after Israeli fire on Lebanon, Lebanese state media says
From CNN’s Sarah El Sirgany in Beirut
Two shepherds were found dead near Lebanon’s southern border on Thursday, a day after coming under Israeli fire, according to Lebanese state media agency NNA.
The United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, said in a statement Wednesday night it had attempted to evacuate two individuals who had come under Israeli fire. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had suspended attacks in the area to allow UNIFIL and the Lebanese army to search for the men, the statement said.
The two shepherds were found by the Lebanese Red Cross, the army and UNIFIL, after an hours-long search.
Some context: Israel and Hezbollah -- an Iran-backed armed group that dominates southern Lebanon -- have been engaged in daily cross-border exchanges of fire along the Lebanon-Israel border since the start of the conflict between Israel and Hamas on October 7, raising fears that the fighting could escalate into a regional war.
Six US citizens arrive in Egypt from Gaza
From journalist Asmaa Khalil in Rafah and CNN’s Zeena Saifi in Jerusalem
Six American citizens arrived on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing from Gaza on Thursday, according to a CNN journalist who spoke to them there.
Since the crossing opened on Wednesday, hundreds of foreign nationals and dozens of injured Palestinians have been evacuated. More are expected to make the journey out of the besieged enclave in the coming days, according to officials.
An internal US government correspondence obtained earlier by CNN said US citizens are expected to begin departing Gaza on Thursday.
IDF says it once again responded to fire from southern Lebanon
From Jo Shelley in northern Israel
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) says that it has again responded to fire from southern Lebanon.
“A short while ago, a terrorist cell attempted to launch anti-tank missiles from Lebanon toward the area of Livne, northern Israel,” the IDF said in a statement. “IDF soldiers struck the cell and a hit was identified. In addition, the soldiers struck two anti-tank missile launching posts in Lebanon.”
“Furthermore, terrorists launched anti-tank missiles toward an IDF post in the area of Manara, northern Israel. No injuries were reported.”
Some context: This fighting is centered on northern Israel and southern Lebanon — separate from Israel's fighting with Hamas further south, which is centered around Gaza. However, an uptick in clashes with Hezbollah has raised fears that the powerful Lebanese paramilitary group could actively participate in the conflict, heightening the risk of a regional war.
Hezbollah – an Iran-backed armed group that is also a regional force in its own right – dominates south Lebanon. It also operates alongside Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard Corps in Syria, where the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights separates Israel from Tehran-aligned fighters.
CNN's Tamara Qiblawi contributed reporting to this post.
Egypt says it will help evacuate nearly 7,000 foreign nationals from Gaza
From journalist Asmaa Khalil in Rafah and CNN’s Nadeen Ebrahim, Zeena Saifi and Caroline Faraj
Egypt is preparing to facilitate the evacuation of nearly 7,000 foreign citizens in Gaza from more than 60 countries via the Rafah crossing, according to a statement by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The announcement follows a meeting between foreign ministry officials and ambassadors and other foreign representatives in Cairo, the statement said.
Egyptian officials say the evacuation plan will be carried out “in accordance with Egypt’s regulations and governing laws, and the role incumbent upon each foreign mission in receiving its nationals from the Rafah crossing.”
The first foreign nationals were able to cross from Gaza to Egypt Wednesday. Evacuations resumed Thursday and are expected to continue over the coming days.
Ambulances waiting: Twenty ambulances have arrived at the Rafah crossing on the Egyptian side, waiting to pick up injured Palestinians, an Egyptian border official told CNN at the crossing on Thursday.
An Egyptian government official confirmed to CNN that 45 injured Palestinians crossed into Egypt from Gaza on Wednesday and are currently undergoing treatment in various hospitals. More are expected to arrive Thursday.
According to Egyptian state-affiliated Al-Qahera News, 70 humanitarian trucks carrying aid are also parked outside the border crossing, waiting to enter Gaza.
At least 400 foreign nationals and 60 injured people expected to leave Gaza Thursday
From CNN's Abeer Salman
At least 400 foreign nationals are expected to leave Gaza and enter Egypt through the Rafah crossing on Thursday, a Palestinian official at the crossing, Wael Abu Umar, told CNN. He did not specify nationalities.
The official said 60 other injured people are also set to leave Gaza.
The on-the-ground assessment follows the overnight publication of a list comprising some 595 names of people apparently cleared for passage out of Gaza.
Those on the list were asked to arrive at the Rafah crossing at 7 a.m. local time on Thursday. No timeframe was given for any eventual transfer to Egypt.
The list of names includes some 400 Americans; the remaining names are citizens from 14 other countries.
The Rafah crossing partially opened Wednesday to allow the evacuation of a limited number of foreign nationals and injured Palestinians – the first such opening since hostilities began on October 7.
An Egyptian government official confirmed Wednesday that 45 people had made it into the country and were currently undergoing treatment.
These developments are separate from any negotiations aimed at freeing Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
Hamas lines in northern Gaza continue to "collapse," says IDF
From CNN's Mick Krever
Hamas defensive lines in northern Gaza continue to “collapse” as they retreat southwards to the center of the enclave, according to a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
“The IDF continues to advance in the Gaza City area, conducting face-to-face battles with Hamas terrorists and deepening the fighting,” Daniel Hagari said in a press statement Thursday.
“Our fighters continue to collapse the defensive lines of Hamas in the north of the Gaza Strip and take control of central areas," he added.
Hagari claimed Israeli forces had “the upper hand” in every confrontation.
“We continue to intensify the activity and move forward according to the plan and the goals we have set for ourselves. The battle is progressing as we planned," Hagari said.
The IDF announced it was "expanding ground operations" in Gaza on Friday. Drawing on videos and photos from open and official sources, as well as reporting from CNN teams on the ground, CNN has been able to map what we know about Israel's ground offensive so far.
Read the full story here:
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Hospitals struggling under "avalanche of human suffering" in Gaza, doctor says
From CNN's Kathleen Magramo
Doctors are struggling to treat patients with severe injuries under dire conditions in Gaza as Israel maintains its bombardment of the enclave, a medic with aid group Doctors Without Borders said.
Speaking from Amman, Jordan, Dr. Tanya Haj-Hassan said the lack of medical supplies in Gaza meant doctors have been "completely stripped of all the tools of modern medicine" to treat patients — mostly women and children — with severe injuries and burns.
"Our hearts are burning. This is an avalanche of human suffering. And it’s 100% man-made," Haj-Hassan told CNN's Paula Newton.
Doctors at the strip's largest Al Shifa Hospital are seeing children with the majority of their body and faces burned, missing limbs and other "catastrophic injuries," said Haj-Hassan, a pediatric intensive care and humanitarian doctor with the aid group, which is also known as Médecins Sans Frontières.
"And the doctors are left to treat them with limited pain control, running out of anesthetic drugs." she said. "We do not have enough antibiotics to treat wound infections, we don't have enough dressings."
Ceasefire call: Haj-Hassan called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, saying "a stop rather than a pause" is needed in what she described as the "indiscriminate bombardment and massacre."
"We have lost over 130 health care providers, many of whom I have known personally. They have lost their families," she said.
Medical workers in Gaza are working around the clock while they and their families also fear being bombarded, she said. But "they have refused to leave, because they have decided to stay with their patients," she said.
Israeli airstrikes hit near Al Quds hospital in Gaza City, director says
From CNN’s Abeer Salman and Zeena Saifi in Jerusalem
Israeli airstrikes struck near the Al Quds hospital in Gaza City, where doctors say thousands of displaced people are sheltering, the key medical facility's director told CNN Thursday.
The strikes that began Wednesday evening continued into Thursday morning and were “getting closer to the hospital,” Dr. Bashar Mourad said in a phone call.
“Very heavy airstrikes in the vicinity of the hospital since last night, intensified this morning and getting closer to the hospital where 14,000 displaced people are,” he said.
The Palestinian Red Crescent said in a statement around 10 p.m. local time Wednesday that heavy airstrikes were targeting near the hospital “for two hours”.
The hospital, the second-largest in the main urban center of Gaza City in the northern part of the enclave, has previously been targeted in Israeli airstrikes.
In a statement to CNN, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said due to “intensifying hostilities” against Hamas in Gaza City and northern Gaza, the IDF continues to urge civilians to evacuate south.
Evacuation zones and warning alerts from the Israeli military have not guaranteed safety for civilians in densely populated Gaza, where Palestinians have no safe place to escape Israeli bombs.
Hezbollah claims it shot down Israeli drone over southern Lebanon
From CNN’s Charbel Mallo and Martin Goillandeau
Iran-backed Islamist militant group Hezbollah on Thursday claimed it shot down an Israeli drone over southern Lebanon amid nearly daily cross-border exchanges of fire that have spurred fears of a wider conflict in the Middle East.
Hezbollah claimed it hit the drone "directly" with a surface-to-air missile as it flew between the border villages of Al-Malikiyah and Hunin.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged the Hezbollah missile launch but denied any damage was inflicted on its unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). In a statement, the IDF said it “struck the terrorist cell that fired the missile and the launch site” in response.
A “number of launches” from Lebanon toward northern Israel also fell in open areas, the IDF added. IDF artillery “struck the source of the launches in response,” the statement said.
CNN has not been able to verify the claims by either side.
"No medicine. No food. No water," Palestinian-American stuck in Gaza tells congresswoman
From CNN's Chris Boyette
A Palestinian-American man stuck inside Gaza has urged the United States to intervene in the Israel-Hamas conflict, according to a social media post by a US congresswoman.
Zakaria Alarayshi sent a voice memo and text message from the besieged enclave to Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, describing his condition as dire and saying there is no medicine, food or water, according to an Instagram post by the congresswoman.
“We are sick. We cannot handle anymore… We need to push [President Joe] Biden to stop this war,” Alarayshi said in a voice memo on Tlaib’s post. “This war kills people. Does not kill Hamas — it kills kids and old people and women and they kill everybody. That's not fair… We need to get us out.”
Alarayshi, who lives in Dearborn, Michigan, was visiting family in Gaza with his wife, Laila Alarayshi, when hostilities broke out, CNN previously reported.
The couple remains stuck and “terrified” in Gaza despite being instructed to go to the Rafah border for evacuation six times only to be denied, according to an attorney for the family.
Attorneys for the family filed a lawsuit on October 13 against the US Department of State and the US Department of Defense for allegedly failing to "safely evacuate US citizens that are currently in the besieged Gaza Strip,” CNN previously reported.
“The voices of those who on the ground in Gaza need to be heard now more than ever,” congresswoman Tlaib’s Instagram post said.
First evacuees: On Wednesday, injured Palestinians and hundreds of foreign nationals started crossing from Gaza into Egypt through the Rafah crossing. They included more than 360 foreign passport holders, many of them Palestinian dual nationals, an Egyptian government official told CNN. US citizens are were among the initial group of foreign nationals to leave, the US State Department said, without giving details on the numbers.
Israeli soldier killed in Gaza, IDF says
From CNN's Amir Tal
A 25-year-old Israeli soldier was killed Wednesday during the Israel Defense Forces' ongoing ground operation in northern Gaza, the IDF said Thursday.
The soldier was named as Capt. Yuval Zilber.
It brings the number of Israeli soldiers killed since the start of the ground incursion to 17 — 16 of whom were killed inside Gaza.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this post misidentified the Israeli soldier killed Wednesday. This has been amended.
Analysis: Israel aid drama is the latest failure of US governance
Analysis from CNN's Stephen Collinson
The House’s struggle to send $14 billion in emergency aid to Israel is exposing political rifts that leave America looking like a divided super power unable even to rush help to a friend that believes it’s fighting an existential war.
A vote on the package had been expected on Thursday, though that timeline now appears at risk of slipping, as the country’s political schisms and a fractured foreign policy consensus once again threaten to paralyze governing.
It shouldn’t be this hard.
For years, a vote on aid to Israel might have been one of the least controversial measures to come up in the House all year. But delays in moving the measure, the fragile balance of power in Washington and feuds between and inside both parties over the new Middle East war show that there’s no longer any easy vote.
The commotion around the issue largely centers on newly elected House Speaker Mike Johnson’s decision to pay for the $14.3 billion in aid to Israel with an equal amount of cuts from the budget of the Internal Revenue Service. This is popular with conservatives but means that many Democrats will vote against what they see as a political stunt.
The Israel package is also being dragged deeper into the political mire because President Joe Biden chose to include it in a much broader request that includes the next tranche of arms and ammunition for Ukraine. Johnson’s conference opposes some aspects of the ask for funding north of $100 billion. And while the speaker is moving an Israel bill on its own, the Senate may insert Ukraine aid and send it back to the House, further delaying the dispatch of US assistance to Israel amid its war with Hamas.
Israel's name is missing from some Chinese maps
From CNN's Simone McCarthy in Hong Kong
Beijing has clarified that Israel remains marked on official maps issued by Chinese authorities after questions emerged over why the country’s name was not visible on online maps provided by two major Chinese companies.
The country name “Israel” does not currently appear on maps on popular mobile applications from leading search platform Baidu or the Alibaba-backed Amap, even though its territory and the names of neighboring countries are clearly shown in a view of the region.
Countries of similar or smaller size to Israel such as Cyprus, Lebanon and Kuwait are visible in the same view, for example.
The maps also don’t include a country name marker for “Palestine,” which China recognized as a state in 1988 and is listed on its official maps alongside Israel.
Both names come up in word searches on the mobile versions of the platforms, which are not-state owned but operate in China’s heavily moderated online environment and are as ubiquitous as Google or Apple maps are outside the country.
“China and Israel have a normal diplomatic relationship … the relevant country is clearly marked on the standard maps issued by the Chinese competent authorities,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Tuesday in response to a question during a regular press briefing.
Editor’s Note: A version of this post originally appeared in CNN’s Meanwhile in China newsletter, which explores what you need to know about the country’s rise and how it impacts the world. Read more about the Chinese maps.
Japanese nationals and their Palestinian families among Gaza evacuees, Tokyo says
From CNN’s Junko Ogura in Tokyo
Ten Japanese citizens and eight of their Palestinian family members were evacuated from Gaza to Egypt on Wednesday, according to Japanese authorities.
Speaking at a regular news conference Thursday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said one Japanese national who remained in Gaza has family in the enclave and had not requested evacuation.
"We are in close contact with this person," he said.
In the first sanctioned exodus from Gaza in weeks, injured Palestinians and hundreds of foreign nationals started crossing into Egypt through the Rafah border crossing Wednesday. They include more than 360 foreign passport holders, many of them Palestinian dual nationals, an Egyptian official told CNN.
More than 400 children killed or injured each day in Gaza during Israeli bombardment, UNICEF says
From CNN's Richard Roth
Children are being killed or injured at a rate of more than 400 a day in Israel's ongoing siege of Gaza, the United Nations children's agency said Wednesday, as it reiterated calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.
Some 3,500 children have reportedly been killed and more than 6,800 children reportedly injured during 25 days of “ongoing bombardment” since October 7, UNICEF said in a statement that added: “This cannot become the new normal.”
“Children have endured too much already. The killing and captivity of children must stop. Children are not a target,” said the statement, which was released following the second consecutive day of deadly Israeli airstrikes on the Jabalya refugee camp in northern Gaza.
“The scenes of carnage coming out of Jabaliya camp in the Gaza Strip following attacks yesterday and again today are horrific and appalling,” UNICEF said.
The UN agency said it does not yet have estimates of the death toll of children from the camp. Medical officials on the ground told CNN hundreds were injured and killed, including many children, following the airstrikes.
The Israeli military said it targeted and killed several Hamas militants in the camp and maintains it does everything it can to minimize civilian casualties.
Hamas on Tuesday strongly denied the presence of one of its commanders at the camp.
Calls for ceasefire: UNICEF said refugee camps are protected under international law and “parties to conflict” have obligations to respect and protect civilians from attack.
“UNICEF reiterates its urgent call to all parties to the conflict for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, to ensure the protection of all children, and for safe and unimpeded humanitarian access to deliver lifesaving aid at scale across the Gaza Strip, according to International Humanitarian Law,” the statement said.
It's morning in Israel and Gaza. Catch up on the latest here
From CNN staff
Israel bombed the densely-populated Jabalya refugee camp in northern Gaza for the second time in two days Wednesday, prompting warnings of war crimes as more nations took diplomatic measures and condemned Israel’s offensive against Hamas in the besieged enclave.
Hours later, one of the few remaining hospitals serving the northern part of the coastal enclave announced its main generator had gone out of service, deepening fears for patients in intensive care.
The massive second strike on Jabalya created further catastrophic damage, destroying several buildings in the Falluja neighborhood of the camp, with video from the site showing a deep crater and people digging through the rubble searching for bodies.
Here's what you need to know:
- Second strike: The Civil Defense in Hamas-run Gaza described the airstrike on the camp Wednesday as a “second massacre.” The strike killed at least 80 people and injured hundreds more, according to Dr. Atef Al Kahlout, the director of Gaza’s Indonesian hospital. More bodies were being dug out of the rubble, and the majority of casualties were women and children, he told CNN. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the Wednesday attack targeted a Hamas command and control complex and “eliminated” Hamas terrorists “based on precise intelligence.” The strike came a day after Israeli jets hit the camp Tuesday, killing hundreds of people according to medics and triggering fresh outcry over spiraling civilian casualties in Gaza.
- Generator down: The main generator for the Gaza Indonesian Hospital went out of service Wednesday night, Al Kahlout told CNN Thursday. Scores of people injured in the Israeli airstrikes on the Jabalya camp are being treated at the hospital, which is considered a backbone in providing health services in northern Gaza.
- War crimes warning: The UN Human Rights Office has said the attacks on Jabalya, Gaza’s largest refugee camp, “could amount to war crimes” given “the high number of civilian casualties and the scale of destruction,” it wrote on social media. Israel’s weeks-long bombardment of Gaza has killed at least 8,700 people, according to figures released by the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah, drawn from sources in the Hamas-controlled enclave.
- Diplomatic response: The devastation wrought by the refugee camp strikes, which are part of Israel’s expanded offensive in Gaza, appeared to be a tipping point in the war for a number of countries that responded with diplomatic measures in condemnation of Israel’s actions in Gaza and the resulting humanitarian crisis. Jordan on Wednesday became the latest country to recall its ambassador to Israel.
- "Unprecedented tragedy": The scale of the tragedy for the more than 2 million people, half of them children, trapped inside war-torn Gaza, is “unprecedented,” the head of the UN's Palestinian refugee agency said following a trip to the enclave Wednesday. “Everyone was just asking for water and food. Instead of being at school, learning, children were asking for a sip of water and a piece of bread. It was heart wrenching,” said UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini, as he renewed calls for a ceasefire.
- First departures: In the first sanctioned exodus from the besieged enclave in weeks, injured Palestinians and hundreds of foreign nationals started crossing from Gaza into Egypt through the Rafah border crossing. They include more than 360 foreign passport holders, many of them Palestinian dual nationals, an Egyptian official told CNN. Forty-five injured Palestinians are receiving treatment in Egypt, an Egyptian official told CNN — among 81 severely injured people expected to enter the country for treatment.
Indonesian Hospital's main generator in northern Gaza is out of service, director says
From CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq
The main generator for the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza went out of service Wednesday night, Dr. Atef Al Kahlout, the head of the hospital, told CNN Thursday.
Al Kahlout said a secondary generator was running in some sections of the hospital. However, the electromechanical systems throughout the entire hospital had stopped working, he said, including the ventilation systems in the operating rooms, the facility's only oxygen station and its morgue refrigerators.
Gaza's Indonesian Hospital is considered a backbone in providing health services in the northern part of the coastal enclave as the nearest medical facility receiving scores of people injured from two days of Israeli airstrikes on the Jabalya refugee camp.
The Israeli military conducted airstrikes on the densely populated refugee camp on Tuesday and Wednesday, which it said targeted Hamas militants.
Medics said there were "hundreds" of dead and wounded. Videos seen by CNN on Tuesday showed long lines of bodies outside the hospital.
The second strike on Wednesday killed at least 80 people, Al Kahlout told CNN earlier.
Barrage of explosions seen in Gaza City early Thursday morning, live camera feed shows
From CNN's Mitchell McCluskey
A barrage of new explosions was seen over Gaza City in the early hours of Thursday, a live camera feed from the Agence France-Presse news agency showed.
The explosions were seen at around 3:08 a.m. Israel time (9:08 p.m. ET), with sustained booms and bright flames captured on the AFP footage. However, it was too dark to determine whether there were any projectiles.
The Israel Defense Forces have not yet commented on the blasts.
Second Israeli airstrike on Jabalya kills dozens, hospital director says
From CNN's Abeer Salman
The Israeli airstrike that rocked the Gaza refugee camp of Jabalya on Wednesday killed at least 80 people, according to a local hospital official.
Dr. Atef Al Kahlout, the director of Gaza's Indonesian hospital, told CNN Wednesday that at least 80 bodies have arrived at the hospital following the strike and that more were being dug out of the rubble.
He said the majority of the casualties were women and children and that hundreds more people were injured.
The Israel Defense Forces confirmed earlier Wednesday that the blast in the Falluja neighborhood of the Jabalya refugee camp was due to an airstrike. It said "Hamas terrorists were eliminated in the strike."
Video from the blast site showed catastrophic damage surrounding a deep crater in the neighborhood. People are seen digging through the rubble searching for bodies.
The Israeli military also conducted airstrikes in Jabalya on Tuesday in an area near Falluja. Medics said there were hundreds of casualties.
"Tragedy is unprecedented" in Gaza, UN agency says after visit
From CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq and Sahar Akbarzai
The "scale of the tragedy in Gaza is unprecedented," according to Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA,) who has just returned from a visit to the area.
Lazzarini said in a statement that the trip marked the first time he had been allowed into Gaza since the war began nearly four weeks ago. He called it "one of the saddest days in my humanitarian work."
"I met with displaced Palestinians sheltered in one of the UNRWA schools in Rafah," he said of his visit. "They showed me where it was damaged during bombardments. One person was killed and more than 80 were injured. The place was overcrowded. The levels of distress and the unsanitary living conditions were beyond comprehension."
"Everyone was just asking for water and food," he said. "Instead of being at school, learning, children were asking for a sip of water and a piece of bread. It was heart wrenching. Above all, people were asking for a ceasefire. They want this tragedy to end."
UNRWA "has become the last remaining lifeline for survival," Lazzarini said, noting that basic necessities "are running out fast." He also stressed the agency "will continue to stand" with Palestinian refugees and communities, and renewed calls for a humanitarian ceasefire.
Biden hails Rafah gate's opening and calls civilian deaths a tragedy
From CNN's Kevin Liptak
US President Joe Biden hailed the opening of the Rafah gate to wounded Palestinians and foreign nationals on Wednesday. He said the United States will continue pressing Israel to adhere to international laws protecting civilians in conflict.
Speaking on a visit to a farm in Minnesota, Biden said it was impossible not to be moved by images of suffering Palestinians.
“Israel has the right to respond and a responsibility to defend its citizens from terror. And it needs to do so in a manner that is consistent with international humanitarian law, that prioritizes protection of civilians,” Biden said. “We've all seen the devastating images from Gaza, Palestinian children crying out for lost parents.
“The loss of innocent life is a tragedy. We grieve for those deaths and continue to grieve for the Israeli children and mothers who were brutally slaughtered by Hamas terrorists.”
Biden said the Rafah crossing's opening came after “intense and urgent American diplomacy with our partners in the region,” and that as many as 1,000 more foreign nationals could depart soon.
He said the US would keep pushing to increase aid to Gaza, saying the number of trucks crossing into the enclave had increased significantly, "but we still have a long way to go."
“The United States is going to continue to drive humanitarian support for innocent people in Gaza who need help and they do need help,” he said.
On the hostages being held in Gaza, Biden said his administration “continues to work around the clock to reunite those families.”
“We are not going to give up, period,” he said. “And I am optimistic. But I am an optimist, folks.”
UN Human Rights Office concerned Israeli strikes on refugee camp "could amount to war crimes"
From CNN’s Richard Roth in New York and Amy Cassidy in London
The United Nations' Human Rights Office expressed concern that Israeli airstrikes on the Jabalya refugee camp in Gaza "could amount to war crimes."
“Given the high number of civilian casualties and the scale of destruction following Israeli airstrikes on Jabalya refugee camp, we have serious concerns that these are disproportionate attacks that could amount to war crimes," the office said in a social media post Wednesday.
The UN's statement comes after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that a blast in the Falluja neighborhood of the Jabalya refugee camp Wednesday was due to an airstrike, following an initial airstrike on Tuesday. Both airstrikes targeted Hamas, according to the IDF.
The IDF said in a statement Wednesday that its jets "struck a Hamas command and control complex in Jabalya," adding that "Hamas terrorists were eliminated in the strike."
Israeli strikes on civilians pose tough questions for Biden
From CNN's MJ Lee and Kevin Liptak
US President Joe Biden and his top national security officials are increasingly confronting questions about Israel’s commitment to minimizing civilian deaths and how scenes from Gaza could affect his domestic political standing.
Even some allies of the administration are worried that defending Israel’s response to the October 7 Hamas terror attacks could become an untenable position for the White House. A massive blast that ripped through Jabalya refugee camp on Tuesday vividly captured the tightrope that the Biden administration is trying to walk: Maintaining in public that Israel is trying to contain Palestinian civilian casualties, even as bloody scenes of destruction pour out of Gaza, fueling public outrage and calls for a ceasefire.
The airstrike, which left catastrophic damage and killed a large number of people has raised raised new questions about how effective Biden and his top officials have been in convincing their Israeli counterparts to protect the lives of Palestinian civilians. It is also intensifying concerns within the administration that the mounting civilian death toll could further erode international support for Israel, isolating the country at a moment of deep regional instability.
Here's why the Rafah border crossing has a critical role in the Israel-Hamas war
From CNN's Abbas Al Lawati and Mohammed Abdelbary
A small number of Palestinians and foreign nationals have finally been able to leave Gaza on Wednesday, after weeks of intense negotiations resulted in the partial opening of the Rafah crossing with Egypt.
On Wednesday, some exited Gaza through Rafah following a deal brokered by Qatar between Israel, Hamas and Egypt, in coordination with the United States.
It comes soon after aid trucks were able to start entering the enclave in greater numbers in the opposite direction — a development that also required lengthy talks.
Located in Egypt’s North Sinai, the Rafah crossing is the sole border crossing between Gaza and Egypt. It falls along an 8-mile (12.8-kilometer) fence that separates Gaza from the Sinai desert.
Rafah is the only Gazan border crossing that isn’t controlled by Israel, which shut its crossings with the territory following Hamas’ October 7 attack. It has emerged as a crucial location as the humanitarian situation in the territory worsens.
Before the war with Hamas that started in early October, Israel had two crossings with Gaza: Erez, which is for the movement of people, and Kerem Shalom, for goods. Both were heavily restricted and have been shut since the war began.
According to United Nations figures, an average of 27,000 people crossed the border each month as of July this year. The border was open for 138 days and closed for 74 this year until that month.
Closures often depend on the security and political situation on the ground. While Israel has no direct control over the crossing, Egypt’s closures often coincide with Israel’s own tightening of restrictions on Gaza.
Read more about the critical role of the Rafah crossing.
New US ambassador will travel to Israel with secretary of state
From CNN's Jennifer Hansler
Newly confirmed United States Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew will travel with Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Israel Thursday.
Lew will take up his post in Jerusalem at a time when the stakes could not be higher: Israel’s expanding ground operations and the resulting toll on civilians has seen increasing condemnation by the Arab world, evidenced in part by Jordan's decision to recall its own ambassador to Israel.
Blinken's visit: President Joe Biden's administration has ramped up its public rhetoric about the need for Israel to abide by international humanitarian law, but it has not condemned the country's actions in Gaza. That is expected to be a key aspect of Blinken’s conversations with Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as will the need for Israel not to become an occupying force in Gaza.
State Department spokesperson Matt Miller said Wednesday that Blinken "wants to get an update from Israel on their military objectives and their plans for meeting those objectives" and "to talk about ways that we can increase the flow of humanitarian assistance and get to the point where it’s a sustained, continuous flow getting in every day that meets the needs of innocent civilians in Gaza."
“He wants to talk about preventing the conflict from spreading. He wants to talk about the ability to get hostages back,” Miller said. “And as I said, he will talk directly with the Israeli government, as he has previously, as the president has previously, about our expectation that ... in conducting this military campaign, that they do it – do so in full compliance with international humanitarian law and the laws of war, and we will be very direct about that.”
The growing Israeli settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank is also expected to be a major topic of conversation.
“We have made quite clear to the government of Israel that we are very concerned about settler violence in the West Bank,” Miller said Wednesday. “We find it incredibly destabilizing. We find it counterproductive to Israel’s long-term security in addition to, of course, being extremely harmful to the Palestinians living in the West Bank.”
“And we have sent a very clear message to them that it’s unacceptable, it needs to stop, and those responsible for it need to be held accountable,” he said.
Gaza evacuations continue, as Biden supports humanitarian "pause" in fighting. Here’s what you need to know
From CNN's Christian Edwards
More foreign nationals and injured Palestinians have arrived in Egypt from Gaza, a day after the Rafah crossing opened to allow the first evacuations since Israel’s siege of the enclave began nearly four weeks ago. At least 400 foreign nationals and 60 injured people are expected to leave the strip over the course of the day.
Meanwhile, Israel bombed the densely-populated Jabalya refugee camp in northern Gaza for the second time in two days Wednesday, prompting the United Nations' Human Rights Office to express concerns that the strikes "could amount to war crimes." The Israeli military said the actions targeted Hamas commanders and the militant group’s infrastructure.
And, as the global outcry against the suffering of Gazans grows, US President Joe Biden – who has offered full-throated support for Israel but increasingly raised concerns about the situation in Gaza – also called for a humanitarian “pause” in the Israel-Hamas war, to allow aid to reach civilians and help facilitate the release of hostages.
Here are the latest developments:
- Rafah evacuations: Egypt has said it will help evacuate nearly 7,000 foreign citizens from more than 60 countries via the Rafah crossing, according to a statement from its foreign ministry. The first foreign nationals were able to cross from Gaza to Egypt Wednesday. Evacuations resumed Thursday and are expected to continue over the coming days. Six US citizens were among those evacuated Thursday. They are believed to be among some 400 American citizens plus their family members – about 1,000 people total – to be stuck in Gaza amid the deepening humanitarian crisis. A convoy of ambulances arrived at the crossing Thursday and were waiting to pick up injured Palestinians, an Egyptian border official told a CNN reporter on the ground.
- Jabalya strikes: The Israeli airstrike that again rocked the Gazan refugee camp of Jabalya on Wednesday killed at least 80 people, the director of Gaza’s Indonesian hospital Dr. Atef Al Kahlout told CNN. He said the majority of casualties were women and children, and that hundreds more people were injured. Video from the blast site showed catastrophic damage surrounding a deep crater in the neighborhood and people digging through the rubble searching for bodies. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that the blast in the Falluja neighborhood of the camp was due to an airstrike, which had “eliminated” Hamas terrorists.
- Biden comments: US President Joe Biden said Wednesday evening that he supports a humanitarian “pause” in the war to allow for the release of more hostages held in Gaza, responding to a protester who called for a ceasefire. As Biden was speaking at a fundraiser in Minneapolis, he was heckled by an audience member demanding a ceasefire – which prompted the president to explain his own position: “I think we need a pause. A pause means give time to get the prisoners out,” Biden said. Many Western leaders have stopped short of calling for an outright ceasefire, stressing Israel has the right to defend itself against Hamas, but have appealed for a humanitarian “pause” to allow aid to get into Gaza and hostages to get out.
- UN concern over "disproportionate attacks:" The United Nations Human Rights Office warned that Israeli airstrikes on the Jabalya refugee camp “could amount to war crimes.” In a post on social media Wednesday, the office said: “Given the high number of civilian casualties and the scale of destruction following Israeli airstrikes on the Jabalya refugee camp, we have serious concerns that these are disproportionate attacks that could amount to war crimes.” Israel’s bombardment of Gaza has lasted nearly four weeks and killed at least 8,700 people, according to figures released by the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah, drawn from sources in the Hamas-controlled enclave.
- Diplomatic backlash: Israel’s strikes on Jabalya have further strained its diplomatic relations with its Arab neighbors and a number of other countries across the world. Bolivia cut diplomatic ties with Israel on Tuesday, citing “crimes against humanity” against Palestinians. In the wake of Wednesday’s strike, Jordan recalled its ambassador to Israel. Bahrain did the same on Thursday, adding that the Israeli ambassador had departed the country and that economic relations with Israel had been suspended.
At least 33 journalists killed in Israel-Hamas conflict since war began, Committee to Protect Journalists says
From CNN's Hande Atay Alam
At least 33 journalists have been killed since the latest Israel-Hamas conflict began on October 7, according to a Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) statement released Thursday.
The death toll among journalists includes 28 Palestinians, four Israelis and one Lebanese, the CPJ said.
Eight journalists have been reported injured, and nine others have been reported missing or detained, CPJ said.
US pediatrician is "relieved" to be out of Gaza, she says. But her thoughts remain with the people still there
From CNN’s Amy Simonson
An American pediatrician who crossed into Egypt Wednesday after being stuck in Gaza told CNN she is "doing pretty well," but her thoughts remain with Gazans who remain in the enclave.
"I think I’m in a halo of just relieved to be here," Dr. Barbara Zind said Thursday, speaking to CNN's Poppy Harlow from Cairo. "But I’m just feeling awful for the devastation that the Gazan people are going through right now.”
"There is really no safe place for the Gazan people,” she said.
Zind, a pediatrician from Grand Junction, Colorado, and Ramona Okumura, another aid worker, were among the Americans who left Gaza via the Rafah border crossing on Wednesday.
Zind said she and others from her group were staying in United Nations facilities that were filled with Gazans seeking refuge, adding the amount of toilets and water “inadequate for the tens of thousands of people who showed up.”
"We kept running out of water, and that was water to flush the toilet," Zind said. "We were always fortunate to have drinking water which was not true of the Gazans that were just outside the fence from us. They were running out of drinking water.”
The experience of the last several weeks has yet to fully sink in, Zind indicated. But after the "long process" of leaving Gaza and arriving in Cairo, she said, "I really enjoyed the shower last night."
Biden says he supports humanitarian "pause" in Gaza conflict, after heckler demanded ceasefire
From CNN's Kevin Liptak, Kyle Feldscher, Nikki Carvajal and Christian Edwards
US President Joe Biden said Wednesday evening he was supportive of a humanitarian pause in the Israel-Hamas conflict to allow for the release of more hostages held in Gaza, responding to a protester who called for a ceasefire.
As Biden was speaking at a fundraiser in Minneapolis, he was heckled by a person in the audience who shouted, “As a rabbi I need you to call for a ceasefire right now,” according to a CNN reporter inside the room.
The president responded by saying he supported a break in fighting to allow for the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Biden and other administration officials have not endorsed a ceasefire.
I think we need a pause. A pause means give time to get the prisoners out,” Biden said.
Biden administration officials have previously called for a pause, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the United Nations. Biden himself addressed the idea of humanitarian pauses during his news conference last week and suggested he raised the idea directly with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. So far, Israel has appeared to reject the idea.
Many Western leaders, stressing Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas following its attack on October 7, have stopped short of calling for an outright ceasefire in Gaza, and instead have appealed for a humanitarian “pause” to the fighting.
Reporters accompanying the president said the heckler was escorted out by security as she was singing “ceasefire now.” The fundraiser audience responded by chanting “four more years.” The demonstrator told reporters her name was Rabbi Jessica Rosenberg.
“I understand the emotion,” Biden said as he continued his remarks. “This is incredibly complicated for the Israelis. It’s incredibly complicated for the Muslim world as well,” he said. “I supported a two state solution, I have from the very beginning.”
“The fact of the matter is that Hamas is a terrorist organization. A flat-out terrorist organization,” Biden said.
"Ceasefire" or "pause:" The deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza has sparked huge international concern but, more than three weeks since the outbreak of violence, the world has so far failed to unite around a common position.
Those advocating a “pause” say it would allow aid to reach the more than 2 million civilians living in the besieged enclave, and might help facilitate the release of more than 200 hostages captured by Hamas. The term also implies that fighting could resume once more aid has reached civilians.
196 Jordanians were evacuated from Gaza through Rafah border crossing on Wednesday
From CNN’s Caroline Faraj in Dubai and Zeena Saifi in Jerusalem
Nearly 200 Jordanian citizens were evacuated from Gaza through the Rafah border crossing into Egypt on Wednesday, according to a statement Thursday from the Jordanian Foreign Ministry.
Of the 196 evacuated, 53 are already en route to Jordan on a Royal Jordanian Air Force plane that had earlier dropped off humanitarian and medical aid for Gaza at El Arish International Airport, the statement said.
The Foreign Ministry said Wednesday there were 284 Jordanian citizens present in Gaza, noting the evacuation process will “continue as long as necessary, and in different ways and means.”
More context: The release of the foreign nationals from Gaza began Wednesday, the result of a deal brokered by Qatar between Israel, Hamas and Egypt, in coordination with the US, that would allow for the release of those individuals, alongside critically injured civilians from Gaza, according to sources familiar with the talks.
Two shepherds found dead after Israeli fire on Lebanon, Lebanese state media says
From CNN’s Sarah El Sirgany in Beirut
Two shepherds were found dead near Lebanon’s southern border on Thursday, a day after coming under Israeli fire, according to Lebanese state media agency NNA.
The United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, said in a statement Wednesday night it had attempted to evacuate two individuals who had come under Israeli fire. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had suspended attacks in the area to allow UNIFIL and the Lebanese army to search for the men, the statement said.
The two shepherds were found by the Lebanese Red Cross, the army and UNIFIL, after an hours-long search.
Some context: Israel and Hezbollah -- an Iran-backed armed group that dominates southern Lebanon -- have been engaged in daily cross-border exchanges of fire along the Lebanon-Israel border since the start of the conflict between Israel and Hamas on October 7, raising fears that the fighting could escalate into a regional war.
Six US citizens arrive in Egypt from Gaza
From journalist Asmaa Khalil in Rafah and CNN’s Zeena Saifi in Jerusalem
Six American citizens arrived on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing from Gaza on Thursday, according to a CNN journalist who spoke to them there.
Since the crossing opened on Wednesday, hundreds of foreign nationals and dozens of injured Palestinians have been evacuated. More are expected to make the journey out of the besieged enclave in the coming days, according to officials.
An internal US government correspondence obtained earlier by CNN said US citizens are expected to begin departing Gaza on Thursday.
IDF says it once again responded to fire from southern Lebanon
From Jo Shelley in northern Israel
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) says that it has again responded to fire from southern Lebanon.
“A short while ago, a terrorist cell attempted to launch anti-tank missiles from Lebanon toward the area of Livne, northern Israel,” the IDF said in a statement. “IDF soldiers struck the cell and a hit was identified. In addition, the soldiers struck two anti-tank missile launching posts in Lebanon.”
“Furthermore, terrorists launched anti-tank missiles toward an IDF post in the area of Manara, northern Israel. No injuries were reported.”
Some context: This fighting is centered on northern Israel and southern Lebanon — separate from Israel's fighting with Hamas further south, which is centered around Gaza. However, an uptick in clashes with Hezbollah has raised fears that the powerful Lebanese paramilitary group could actively participate in the conflict, heightening the risk of a regional war.
Hezbollah – an Iran-backed armed group that is also a regional force in its own right – dominates south Lebanon. It also operates alongside Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard Corps in Syria, where the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights separates Israel from Tehran-aligned fighters.
CNN's Tamara Qiblawi contributed reporting to this post.
Egypt says it will help evacuate nearly 7,000 foreign nationals from Gaza
From journalist Asmaa Khalil in Rafah and CNN’s Nadeen Ebrahim, Zeena Saifi and Caroline Faraj
Egypt is preparing to facilitate the evacuation of nearly 7,000 foreign citizens in Gaza from more than 60 countries via the Rafah crossing, according to a statement by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The announcement follows a meeting between foreign ministry officials and ambassadors and other foreign representatives in Cairo, the statement said.
Egyptian officials say the evacuation plan will be carried out “in accordance with Egypt’s regulations and governing laws, and the role incumbent upon each foreign mission in receiving its nationals from the Rafah crossing.”
The first foreign nationals were able to cross from Gaza to Egypt Wednesday. Evacuations resumed Thursday and are expected to continue over the coming days.
Ambulances waiting: Twenty ambulances have arrived at the Rafah crossing on the Egyptian side, waiting to pick up injured Palestinians, an Egyptian border official told CNN at the crossing on Thursday.
An Egyptian government official confirmed to CNN that 45 injured Palestinians crossed into Egypt from Gaza on Wednesday and are currently undergoing treatment in various hospitals. More are expected to arrive Thursday.
According to Egyptian state-affiliated Al-Qahera News, 70 humanitarian trucks carrying aid are also parked outside the border crossing, waiting to enter Gaza.
At least 400 foreign nationals and 60 injured people expected to leave Gaza Thursday
From CNN's Abeer Salman
At least 400 foreign nationals are expected to leave Gaza and enter Egypt through the Rafah crossing on Thursday, a Palestinian official at the crossing, Wael Abu Umar, told CNN. He did not specify nationalities.
The official said 60 other injured people are also set to leave Gaza.
The on-the-ground assessment follows the overnight publication of a list comprising some 595 names of people apparently cleared for passage out of Gaza.
Those on the list were asked to arrive at the Rafah crossing at 7 a.m. local time on Thursday. No timeframe was given for any eventual transfer to Egypt.
The list of names includes some 400 Americans; the remaining names are citizens from 14 other countries.
The Rafah crossing partially opened Wednesday to allow the evacuation of a limited number of foreign nationals and injured Palestinians – the first such opening since hostilities began on October 7.
An Egyptian government official confirmed Wednesday that 45 people had made it into the country and were currently undergoing treatment.
These developments are separate from any negotiations aimed at freeing Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
Hamas lines in northern Gaza continue to "collapse," says IDF
From CNN's Mick Krever
Hamas defensive lines in northern Gaza continue to “collapse” as they retreat southwards to the center of the enclave, according to a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
“The IDF continues to advance in the Gaza City area, conducting face-to-face battles with Hamas terrorists and deepening the fighting,” Daniel Hagari said in a press statement Thursday.
“Our fighters continue to collapse the defensive lines of Hamas in the north of the Gaza Strip and take control of central areas," he added.
Hagari claimed Israeli forces had “the upper hand” in every confrontation.
“We continue to intensify the activity and move forward according to the plan and the goals we have set for ourselves. The battle is progressing as we planned," Hagari said.
The IDF announced it was "expanding ground operations" in Gaza on Friday. Drawing on videos and photos from open and official sources, as well as reporting from CNN teams on the ground, CNN has been able to map what we know about Israel's ground offensive so far.
Read the full story here:
Hospitals struggling under "avalanche of human suffering" in Gaza, doctor says
From CNN's Kathleen Magramo
Doctors are struggling to treat patients with severe injuries under dire conditions in Gaza as Israel maintains its bombardment of the enclave, a medic with aid group Doctors Without Borders said.
Speaking from Amman, Jordan, Dr. Tanya Haj-Hassan said the lack of medical supplies in Gaza meant doctors have been "completely stripped of all the tools of modern medicine" to treat patients — mostly women and children — with severe injuries and burns.
"Our hearts are burning. This is an avalanche of human suffering. And it’s 100% man-made," Haj-Hassan told CNN's Paula Newton.
Doctors at the strip's largest Al Shifa Hospital are seeing children with the majority of their body and faces burned, missing limbs and other "catastrophic injuries," said Haj-Hassan, a pediatric intensive care and humanitarian doctor with the aid group, which is also known as Médecins Sans Frontières.
"And the doctors are left to treat them with limited pain control, running out of anesthetic drugs." she said. "We do not have enough antibiotics to treat wound infections, we don't have enough dressings."
Ceasefire call: Haj-Hassan called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, saying "a stop rather than a pause" is needed in what she described as the "indiscriminate bombardment and massacre."
"We have lost over 130 health care providers, many of whom I have known personally. They have lost their families," she said.
Medical workers in Gaza are working around the clock while they and their families also fear being bombarded, she said. But "they have refused to leave, because they have decided to stay with their patients," she said.
Israeli airstrikes hit near Al Quds hospital in Gaza City, director says
From CNN’s Abeer Salman and Zeena Saifi in Jerusalem
Israeli airstrikes struck near the Al Quds hospital in Gaza City, where doctors say thousands of displaced people are sheltering, the key medical facility's director told CNN Thursday.
The strikes that began Wednesday evening continued into Thursday morning and were “getting closer to the hospital,” Dr. Bashar Mourad said in a phone call.
“Very heavy airstrikes in the vicinity of the hospital since last night, intensified this morning and getting closer to the hospital where 14,000 displaced people are,” he said.
The Palestinian Red Crescent said in a statement around 10 p.m. local time Wednesday that heavy airstrikes were targeting near the hospital “for two hours”.
The hospital, the second-largest in the main urban center of Gaza City in the northern part of the enclave, has previously been targeted in Israeli airstrikes.
In a statement to CNN, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said due to “intensifying hostilities” against Hamas in Gaza City and northern Gaza, the IDF continues to urge civilians to evacuate south.
Evacuation zones and warning alerts from the Israeli military have not guaranteed safety for civilians in densely populated Gaza, where Palestinians have no safe place to escape Israeli bombs.
Hezbollah claims it shot down Israeli drone over southern Lebanon
From CNN’s Charbel Mallo and Martin Goillandeau
Iran-backed Islamist militant group Hezbollah on Thursday claimed it shot down an Israeli drone over southern Lebanon amid nearly daily cross-border exchanges of fire that have spurred fears of a wider conflict in the Middle East.
Hezbollah claimed it hit the drone "directly" with a surface-to-air missile as it flew between the border villages of Al-Malikiyah and Hunin.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged the Hezbollah missile launch but denied any damage was inflicted on its unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). In a statement, the IDF said it “struck the terrorist cell that fired the missile and the launch site” in response.
A “number of launches” from Lebanon toward northern Israel also fell in open areas, the IDF added. IDF artillery “struck the source of the launches in response,” the statement said.
CNN has not been able to verify the claims by either side.
"No medicine. No food. No water," Palestinian-American stuck in Gaza tells congresswoman
From CNN's Chris Boyette
A Palestinian-American man stuck inside Gaza has urged the United States to intervene in the Israel-Hamas conflict, according to a social media post by a US congresswoman.
Zakaria Alarayshi sent a voice memo and text message from the besieged enclave to Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, describing his condition as dire and saying there is no medicine, food or water, according to an Instagram post by the congresswoman.
“We are sick. We cannot handle anymore… We need to push [President Joe] Biden to stop this war,” Alarayshi said in a voice memo on Tlaib’s post. “This war kills people. Does not kill Hamas — it kills kids and old people and women and they kill everybody. That's not fair… We need to get us out.”
Alarayshi, who lives in Dearborn, Michigan, was visiting family in Gaza with his wife, Laila Alarayshi, when hostilities broke out, CNN previously reported.
The couple remains stuck and “terrified” in Gaza despite being instructed to go to the Rafah border for evacuation six times only to be denied, according to an attorney for the family.
Attorneys for the family filed a lawsuit on October 13 against the US Department of State and the US Department of Defense for allegedly failing to "safely evacuate US citizens that are currently in the besieged Gaza Strip,” CNN previously reported.
“The voices of those who on the ground in Gaza need to be heard now more than ever,” congresswoman Tlaib’s Instagram post said.
First evacuees: On Wednesday, injured Palestinians and hundreds of foreign nationals started crossing from Gaza into Egypt through the Rafah crossing. They included more than 360 foreign passport holders, many of them Palestinian dual nationals, an Egyptian government official told CNN. US citizens are were among the initial group of foreign nationals to leave, the US State Department said, without giving details on the numbers.
Israeli soldier killed in Gaza, IDF says
From CNN's Amir Tal
A 25-year-old Israeli soldier was killed Wednesday during the Israel Defense Forces' ongoing ground operation in northern Gaza, the IDF said Thursday.
The soldier was named as Capt. Yuval Zilber.
It brings the number of Israeli soldiers killed since the start of the ground incursion to 17 — 16 of whom were killed inside Gaza.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this post misidentified the Israeli soldier killed Wednesday. This has been amended.
Analysis: Israel aid drama is the latest failure of US governance
Analysis from CNN's Stephen Collinson
The House’s struggle to send $14 billion in emergency aid to Israel is exposing political rifts that leave America looking like a divided super power unable even to rush help to a friend that believes it’s fighting an existential war.
A vote on the package had been expected on Thursday, though that timeline now appears at risk of slipping, as the country’s political schisms and a fractured foreign policy consensus once again threaten to paralyze governing.
It shouldn’t be this hard.
For years, a vote on aid to Israel might have been one of the least controversial measures to come up in the House all year. But delays in moving the measure, the fragile balance of power in Washington and feuds between and inside both parties over the new Middle East war show that there’s no longer any easy vote.
The commotion around the issue largely centers on newly elected House Speaker Mike Johnson’s decision to pay for the $14.3 billion in aid to Israel with an equal amount of cuts from the budget of the Internal Revenue Service. This is popular with conservatives but means that many Democrats will vote against what they see as a political stunt.
The Israel package is also being dragged deeper into the political mire because President Joe Biden chose to include it in a much broader request that includes the next tranche of arms and ammunition for Ukraine. Johnson’s conference opposes some aspects of the ask for funding north of $100 billion. And while the speaker is moving an Israel bill on its own, the Senate may insert Ukraine aid and send it back to the House, further delaying the dispatch of US assistance to Israel amid its war with Hamas.
Israel's name is missing from some Chinese maps
From CNN's Simone McCarthy in Hong Kong
Beijing has clarified that Israel remains marked on official maps issued by Chinese authorities after questions emerged over why the country’s name was not visible on online maps provided by two major Chinese companies.
The country name “Israel” does not currently appear on maps on popular mobile applications from leading search platform Baidu or the Alibaba-backed Amap, even though its territory and the names of neighboring countries are clearly shown in a view of the region.
Countries of similar or smaller size to Israel such as Cyprus, Lebanon and Kuwait are visible in the same view, for example.
The maps also don’t include a country name marker for “Palestine,” which China recognized as a state in 1988 and is listed on its official maps alongside Israel.
Both names come up in word searches on the mobile versions of the platforms, which are not-state owned but operate in China’s heavily moderated online environment and are as ubiquitous as Google or Apple maps are outside the country.
“China and Israel have a normal diplomatic relationship … the relevant country is clearly marked on the standard maps issued by the Chinese competent authorities,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Tuesday in response to a question during a regular press briefing.
Editor’s Note: A version of this post originally appeared in CNN’s Meanwhile in China newsletter, which explores what you need to know about the country’s rise and how it impacts the world. Read more about the Chinese maps.
Japanese nationals and their Palestinian families among Gaza evacuees, Tokyo says
From CNN’s Junko Ogura in Tokyo
Ten Japanese citizens and eight of their Palestinian family members were evacuated from Gaza to Egypt on Wednesday, according to Japanese authorities.
Speaking at a regular news conference Thursday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said one Japanese national who remained in Gaza has family in the enclave and had not requested evacuation.
"We are in close contact with this person," he said.
In the first sanctioned exodus from Gaza in weeks, injured Palestinians and hundreds of foreign nationals started crossing into Egypt through the Rafah border crossing Wednesday. They include more than 360 foreign passport holders, many of them Palestinian dual nationals, an Egyptian official told CNN.
More than 400 children killed or injured each day in Gaza during Israeli bombardment, UNICEF says
From CNN's Richard Roth
Children are being killed or injured at a rate of more than 400 a day in Israel's ongoing siege of Gaza, the United Nations children's agency said Wednesday, as it reiterated calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.
Some 3,500 children have reportedly been killed and more than 6,800 children reportedly injured during 25 days of “ongoing bombardment” since October 7, UNICEF said in a statement that added: “This cannot become the new normal.”
“Children have endured too much already. The killing and captivity of children must stop. Children are not a target,” said the statement, which was released following the second consecutive day of deadly Israeli airstrikes on the Jabalya refugee camp in northern Gaza.
“The scenes of carnage coming out of Jabaliya camp in the Gaza Strip following attacks yesterday and again today are horrific and appalling,” UNICEF said.
The UN agency said it does not yet have estimates of the death toll of children from the camp. Medical officials on the ground told CNN hundreds were injured and killed, including many children, following the airstrikes.
The Israeli military said it targeted and killed several Hamas militants in the camp and maintains it does everything it can to minimize civilian casualties.
Hamas on Tuesday strongly denied the presence of one of its commanders at the camp.
Calls for ceasefire: UNICEF said refugee camps are protected under international law and “parties to conflict” have obligations to respect and protect civilians from attack.
“UNICEF reiterates its urgent call to all parties to the conflict for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, to ensure the protection of all children, and for safe and unimpeded humanitarian access to deliver lifesaving aid at scale across the Gaza Strip, according to International Humanitarian Law,” the statement said.
It's morning in Israel and Gaza. Catch up on the latest here
From CNN staff
Israel bombed the densely-populated Jabalya refugee camp in northern Gaza for the second time in two days Wednesday, prompting warnings of war crimes as more nations took diplomatic measures and condemned Israel’s offensive against Hamas in the besieged enclave.
Hours later, one of the few remaining hospitals serving the northern part of the coastal enclave announced its main generator had gone out of service, deepening fears for patients in intensive care.
The massive second strike on Jabalya created further catastrophic damage, destroying several buildings in the Falluja neighborhood of the camp, with video from the site showing a deep crater and people digging through the rubble searching for bodies.
Here's what you need to know:
- Second strike: The Civil Defense in Hamas-run Gaza described the airstrike on the camp Wednesday as a “second massacre.” The strike killed at least 80 people and injured hundreds more, according to Dr. Atef Al Kahlout, the director of Gaza’s Indonesian hospital. More bodies were being dug out of the rubble, and the majority of casualties were women and children, he told CNN. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the Wednesday attack targeted a Hamas command and control complex and “eliminated” Hamas terrorists “based on precise intelligence.” The strike came a day after Israeli jets hit the camp Tuesday, killing hundreds of people according to medics and triggering fresh outcry over spiraling civilian casualties in Gaza.
- Generator down: The main generator for the Gaza Indonesian Hospital went out of service Wednesday night, Al Kahlout told CNN Thursday. Scores of people injured in the Israeli airstrikes on the Jabalya camp are being treated at the hospital, which is considered a backbone in providing health services in northern Gaza.
- War crimes warning: The UN Human Rights Office has said the attacks on Jabalya, Gaza’s largest refugee camp, “could amount to war crimes” given “the high number of civilian casualties and the scale of destruction,” it wrote on social media. Israel’s weeks-long bombardment of Gaza has killed at least 8,700 people, according to figures released by the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah, drawn from sources in the Hamas-controlled enclave.
- Diplomatic response: The devastation wrought by the refugee camp strikes, which are part of Israel’s expanded offensive in Gaza, appeared to be a tipping point in the war for a number of countries that responded with diplomatic measures in condemnation of Israel’s actions in Gaza and the resulting humanitarian crisis. Jordan on Wednesday became the latest country to recall its ambassador to Israel.
- "Unprecedented tragedy": The scale of the tragedy for the more than 2 million people, half of them children, trapped inside war-torn Gaza, is “unprecedented,” the head of the UN's Palestinian refugee agency said following a trip to the enclave Wednesday. “Everyone was just asking for water and food. Instead of being at school, learning, children were asking for a sip of water and a piece of bread. It was heart wrenching,” said UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini, as he renewed calls for a ceasefire.
- First departures: In the first sanctioned exodus from the besieged enclave in weeks, injured Palestinians and hundreds of foreign nationals started crossing from Gaza into Egypt through the Rafah border crossing. They include more than 360 foreign passport holders, many of them Palestinian dual nationals, an Egyptian official told CNN. Forty-five injured Palestinians are receiving treatment in Egypt, an Egyptian official told CNN — among 81 severely injured people expected to enter the country for treatment.
Indonesian Hospital's main generator in northern Gaza is out of service, director says
From CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq
The main generator for the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza went out of service Wednesday night, Dr. Atef Al Kahlout, the head of the hospital, told CNN Thursday.
Al Kahlout said a secondary generator was running in some sections of the hospital. However, the electromechanical systems throughout the entire hospital had stopped working, he said, including the ventilation systems in the operating rooms, the facility's only oxygen station and its morgue refrigerators.
Gaza's Indonesian Hospital is considered a backbone in providing health services in the northern part of the coastal enclave as the nearest medical facility receiving scores of people injured from two days of Israeli airstrikes on the Jabalya refugee camp.
The Israeli military conducted airstrikes on the densely populated refugee camp on Tuesday and Wednesday, which it said targeted Hamas militants.
Medics said there were "hundreds" of dead and wounded. Videos seen by CNN on Tuesday showed long lines of bodies outside the hospital.
The second strike on Wednesday killed at least 80 people, Al Kahlout told CNN earlier.
Barrage of explosions seen in Gaza City early Thursday morning, live camera feed shows
From CNN's Mitchell McCluskey
A barrage of new explosions was seen over Gaza City in the early hours of Thursday, a live camera feed from the Agence France-Presse news agency showed.
The explosions were seen at around 3:08 a.m. Israel time (9:08 p.m. ET), with sustained booms and bright flames captured on the AFP footage. However, it was too dark to determine whether there were any projectiles.
The Israel Defense Forces have not yet commented on the blasts.
Second Israeli airstrike on Jabalya kills dozens, hospital director says
From CNN's Abeer Salman
The Israeli airstrike that rocked the Gaza refugee camp of Jabalya on Wednesday killed at least 80 people, according to a local hospital official.
Dr. Atef Al Kahlout, the director of Gaza's Indonesian hospital, told CNN Wednesday that at least 80 bodies have arrived at the hospital following the strike and that more were being dug out of the rubble.
He said the majority of the casualties were women and children and that hundreds more people were injured.
The Israel Defense Forces confirmed earlier Wednesday that the blast in the Falluja neighborhood of the Jabalya refugee camp was due to an airstrike. It said "Hamas terrorists were eliminated in the strike."
Video from the blast site showed catastrophic damage surrounding a deep crater in the neighborhood. People are seen digging through the rubble searching for bodies.
The Israeli military also conducted airstrikes in Jabalya on Tuesday in an area near Falluja. Medics said there were hundreds of casualties.
"Tragedy is unprecedented" in Gaza, UN agency says after visit
From CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq and Sahar Akbarzai
The "scale of the tragedy in Gaza is unprecedented," according to Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA,) who has just returned from a visit to the area.
Lazzarini said in a statement that the trip marked the first time he had been allowed into Gaza since the war began nearly four weeks ago. He called it "one of the saddest days in my humanitarian work."
"I met with displaced Palestinians sheltered in one of the UNRWA schools in Rafah," he said of his visit. "They showed me where it was damaged during bombardments. One person was killed and more than 80 were injured. The place was overcrowded. The levels of distress and the unsanitary living conditions were beyond comprehension."
"Everyone was just asking for water and food," he said. "Instead of being at school, learning, children were asking for a sip of water and a piece of bread. It was heart wrenching. Above all, people were asking for a ceasefire. They want this tragedy to end."
UNRWA "has become the last remaining lifeline for survival," Lazzarini said, noting that basic necessities "are running out fast." He also stressed the agency "will continue to stand" with Palestinian refugees and communities, and renewed calls for a humanitarian ceasefire.
Biden hails Rafah gate's opening and calls civilian deaths a tragedy
From CNN's Kevin Liptak
US President Joe Biden hailed the opening of the Rafah gate to wounded Palestinians and foreign nationals on Wednesday. He said the United States will continue pressing Israel to adhere to international laws protecting civilians in conflict.
Speaking on a visit to a farm in Minnesota, Biden said it was impossible not to be moved by images of suffering Palestinians.
“Israel has the right to respond and a responsibility to defend its citizens from terror. And it needs to do so in a manner that is consistent with international humanitarian law, that prioritizes protection of civilians,” Biden said. “We've all seen the devastating images from Gaza, Palestinian children crying out for lost parents.
“The loss of innocent life is a tragedy. We grieve for those deaths and continue to grieve for the Israeli children and mothers who were brutally slaughtered by Hamas terrorists.”
Biden said the Rafah crossing's opening came after “intense and urgent American diplomacy with our partners in the region,” and that as many as 1,000 more foreign nationals could depart soon.
He said the US would keep pushing to increase aid to Gaza, saying the number of trucks crossing into the enclave had increased significantly, "but we still have a long way to go."
“The United States is going to continue to drive humanitarian support for innocent people in Gaza who need help and they do need help,” he said.
On the hostages being held in Gaza, Biden said his administration “continues to work around the clock to reunite those families.”
“We are not going to give up, period,” he said. “And I am optimistic. But I am an optimist, folks.”
UN Human Rights Office concerned Israeli strikes on refugee camp "could amount to war crimes"
From CNN’s Richard Roth in New York and Amy Cassidy in London
The United Nations' Human Rights Office expressed concern that Israeli airstrikes on the Jabalya refugee camp in Gaza "could amount to war crimes."
“Given the high number of civilian casualties and the scale of destruction following Israeli airstrikes on Jabalya refugee camp, we have serious concerns that these are disproportionate attacks that could amount to war crimes," the office said in a social media post Wednesday.
The UN's statement comes after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that a blast in the Falluja neighborhood of the Jabalya refugee camp Wednesday was due to an airstrike, following an initial airstrike on Tuesday. Both airstrikes targeted Hamas, according to the IDF.
The IDF said in a statement Wednesday that its jets "struck a Hamas command and control complex in Jabalya," adding that "Hamas terrorists were eliminated in the strike."
Israeli strikes on civilians pose tough questions for Biden
From CNN's MJ Lee and Kevin Liptak
US President Joe Biden and his top national security officials are increasingly confronting questions about Israel’s commitment to minimizing civilian deaths and how scenes from Gaza could affect his domestic political standing.
Even some allies of the administration are worried that defending Israel’s response to the October 7 Hamas terror attacks could become an untenable position for the White House. A massive blast that ripped through Jabalya refugee camp on Tuesday vividly captured the tightrope that the Biden administration is trying to walk: Maintaining in public that Israel is trying to contain Palestinian civilian casualties, even as bloody scenes of destruction pour out of Gaza, fueling public outrage and calls for a ceasefire.
The airstrike, which left catastrophic damage and killed a large number of people has raised raised new questions about how effective Biden and his top officials have been in convincing their Israeli counterparts to protect the lives of Palestinian civilians. It is also intensifying concerns within the administration that the mounting civilian death toll could further erode international support for Israel, isolating the country at a moment of deep regional instability.
Here's why the Rafah border crossing has a critical role in the Israel-Hamas war
From CNN's Abbas Al Lawati and Mohammed Abdelbary
A small number of Palestinians and foreign nationals have finally been able to leave Gaza on Wednesday, after weeks of intense negotiations resulted in the partial opening of the Rafah crossing with Egypt.
On Wednesday, some exited Gaza through Rafah following a deal brokered by Qatar between Israel, Hamas and Egypt, in coordination with the United States.
It comes soon after aid trucks were able to start entering the enclave in greater numbers in the opposite direction — a development that also required lengthy talks.
Located in Egypt’s North Sinai, the Rafah crossing is the sole border crossing between Gaza and Egypt. It falls along an 8-mile (12.8-kilometer) fence that separates Gaza from the Sinai desert.
Rafah is the only Gazan border crossing that isn’t controlled by Israel, which shut its crossings with the territory following Hamas’ October 7 attack. It has emerged as a crucial location as the humanitarian situation in the territory worsens.
Before the war with Hamas that started in early October, Israel had two crossings with Gaza: Erez, which is for the movement of people, and Kerem Shalom, for goods. Both were heavily restricted and have been shut since the war began.
According to United Nations figures, an average of 27,000 people crossed the border each month as of July this year. The border was open for 138 days and closed for 74 this year until that month.
Closures often depend on the security and political situation on the ground. While Israel has no direct control over the crossing, Egypt’s closures often coincide with Israel’s own tightening of restrictions on Gaza.
Read more about the critical role of the Rafah crossing.
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