CNN WORLD
The latest on the Israel-Hamas war
By Kathleen Magramo, Deva Lee, Sophie Tanno, Antoinette Radford, Aditi Sangal, Adrienne Vogt and Matt Meyer, CNN
Updated 2:06 p.m. ET, February 29, 2024
What we're covering
- At least 104 people have been killed and hundreds injured in Gaza after Israeli forces opened fire as they were waiting for food, according to the Palestinian health ministry in Gaza. Israel's military and eyewitnesses have provided contradictory accounts of the events on the ground.
- US President Joe Biden said the food aid deaths add urgency to ceasefire talks but will also complicate the negotiations.
- It comes as more than 30,000 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel’s war with Hamas began in October, the health ministry said Thursday.
- Palestinian factions are meeting in Moscow today to discuss forming a new government after the Palestinian Authority cabinet resigned on Monday. Hamas hasn’t confirmed attendance, but a Russian official said "all parties" have agreed to participate.
Here's how to help humanitarian efforts in Israel and Gaza.
All
Catch Up
32 Posts
SORT BY
Latest
46 min ago
International Criminal Court says it's following closely after CNN investigation on deadly Israeli airstrike
From CNN’s Mick Krever
CNN
The International Criminal Court prosecutor "is aware of the incident" involving a deadly Israeli airstrike revealed by a CNN investigation published Wednesday, his office told CNN.
"The Office is aware of the incident and can confirm that it is following events closely," the ICC prosecutor's office said in a statement Thursday.
Karim Khan’s office said it was unable to go into further detail "with respect to specific allegations, in particular due to the confidentiality of its investigations and the imperative to protect witnesses and sources."
The ICC prosecutor has for several years had an open investigation "into the Situation in the State of Palestine."
Responding to CNN’s investigation, the United Nations Secretary-General’s spokesperson on Wednesday called for "a full investigation into what was reported."
1 hr ago
Biden and Qatari leader say deadly aid site tragedy underscores urgency for ceasefire deal
From CNN's Nikki Carvajal
US President Joe Biden and Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar discussed the "tragic and alarming incident" that left more 100 people killed in Gaza, according to the health ministry in the strip, the White House said on Thursday.
"Both leaders grieved the loss of civilian lives and agreed that this incident underscored the urgency of bringing negotiations to a close as soon as possible and expanding the flow of humanitarian assistance into Gaza," the White House said in a readout of the call between two leaders.
More than 100 people were killed during the chaos, where Israeli troops opened fire and triggered panic as hungry Palestinian civilians were gathering around food aid trucks, Palestinian officials and eyewitnesses said.
On hostages: Biden and Al-Thani also discussed efforts to free remaining hostages held by Hamas, according to the readout.
“They agreed that Hamas should release the hostages it is holding without delay,” the White House wrote. “The leaders underscored that the release of hostages would result in an immediate and sustained ceasefire in Gaza over a period of at least six weeks. They exchanged views on how such a prolonged period of calm could then be built into something more enduring."
The two also talked about getting more humanitarian assistance into Gaza “and how the ceasefire under the hostage deal would further help enable those efforts and ensure that assistance reached civilians in need throughout Gaza.”
1 hr 28 min ago
Palestinian political factions are meeting in Moscow. Here’s what you need to know
From CNN staff
Palestinian factions, some of whom have been at odds for almost two decades, are meeting in Moscow to discuss forming a new government just days after the Palestinian Authority government resigned.
Here's some key things to know:
Fatah: The Palestinian faction is a political party.
Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO): The organization is a coalition of parties that signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1993. The Fatah political party dominates PLO.
Palestinian Authority (PA): The interim Palestinian government that was established in the Israeli-occupied West Bank after the 1993 agreement known as the Oslo Accords was signed. The Fatah political party dominates the PA. The PA has however become deeply unpopular among Palestinians, and is seen as corrupt and unable to provide security in the face of regular Israeli military incursions. It is also under intense pressure from the United States to reform.
Hamas: The militant group is attending the talks, according to Russian media. It is not part of the PLO and does not recognize Israel. It won the 2006 legislative elections in the occupied territories and has since ruled Gaza.
Can Hamas unite under the PLO: “The incorporation of Hamas, along with other factions that are outside the PLO, is an essential step for the reform and revival of the PLO,” said Khaled Elgindy, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute in Washington DC. “Otherwise, the PLO cannot legitimately claim to be truly representative.”
If Hamas joins PLO, will it automatically recognize Israel: Despite the PLO’s recognition of Israel, Hamas joining the bloc wouldn’t mean that it would automatically acknowledge it, Elgindy said, adding, “It could – and likely would – constrain the kinds of concessions that the PLO might make in any future diplomatic process with Israel.”
Remember: Hamas has said in the past that it is willing to accept a Palestinian state on the territories Israel captured in the 1967 war, but has ruled out recognition of Israel.
What is the objective of the meeting in Moscow: The objective of the two-day talks is to unite the factions under the Palestine Liberation Organization, and form a new government in the Palestinian Authority (PA), according to a spokesperson for Fatah. However, Elgindy says the main hurdles to Hamas joining the PLO would be how much power it would get in the grouping, and how to deal with its weapons and fighters. The negotiations will require Fatah and Hamas “to relinquish a measure of power in the interest of national unity.”
CNN’s Abbas Al Lawati, Matog Saleh and Celine Alkhaldi contributed to this report.
1 hr 29 min ago
At least 104 killed and hundreds injured as they lined up for food. Here's what you need to know
From CNN staff
At least 104 people were killed and 760 injured in a chaotic incident where Israel Defense Forces opened fire as hungry Palestinian civilians were gathering around food aid trucks, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza.
CNN is unable to independently confirm the figures and the Israeli military has given a different account of the circumstances.
What we know:
Civilians had swarmed around newly arrived aid trucks in the hope of getting food, when Israeli tanks and drones started shooting at the people in Haroun Al Rasheed Street in western Gaza City, in the Sheikh Ajleen area.
As the aid trucks tried to escape the area, others were accidentally rammed, causing further deaths and injuries, an eyewitness told CNN.
What the IDF says:
An Israeli official told CNN IDF troops did use live fire on people surrounding aid truck as "the crowd approached the forces in a manner that posed a threat to the troops, who responded to the threat with live fire. The incident is under review."
Israeli government spokesperson Avi Hyman also told reporters that the incident was "obviously a tragedy, but we're not sure of the specifics quite yet."
What Hamas says:
Hamas senior member Izzat Al-Risheq warned that Thursday's incident could lead to the failure of ongoing talks aiming at the release of hostages and a ceasefire.
Here's what else you need to know:
US monitoring situation: US President Joe Biden says his administration is looking into what happened at a food distribution site in Gaza. He said he believed the incident would complicate negotiations in the region, but said he was still optimistic. A White House official confirmed that Biden spoke with the leaders of Egypt and Qatar on Thursday. One senior Biden administration official said that the incident has made US officials feel even more pressure to help get a hostages-ceasefire deal across the finish line.
UN warning: The United Nations aid chief warned on Thursday that life is “draining out of Gaza at terrifying speed,” after news of the aid truck deaths.
Moscow meeting: Intra-Palestinian talks focusing on Gaza's settlement are underway in Moscow, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reports. The Russian foreign ministry earlier said representatives from Hamas and rival political faction Fatah, which dominates the Palestinian Authority, would take part in the talks.
Lebanon incursion: There is concern among US administration and intelligence officials that Israel is planning a ground incursion into Lebanon that could be launched in the coming months if diplomatic efforts fail to push Hezbollah back from the northern border with Israel, senior administration officials and officials familiar with the intelligence said.
Hostage families march: Families of hostages in Gaza have started the second day of their long-distance march from southern Israel's Re'im to Jerusalem, repeating their calls for the release of those captured during the October 7 attack.
Protesters block border: Protestors holding Israeli flags at the Kerem Shalom border crossing between Israel and Gaza Strip appear to have again blocked aid shipments into Gaza on Thursday, videos obtained by CNN show.
Death toll passes 30,000: More than 30,000 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel’s war with Hamas began in October, the health ministry in the besieged enclave said Thursday.
2 hr 42 min ago
Jordan says it airdropped humanitarian aid into northern Gaza
From CNN's Caroline Faraj and Jennifer Hauser
Jordanian Armed Forces said it conducted two airdrops of humanitarian relief to northern Gaza Thursday.
It was carried out in cooperation with Bahrain and Oman, Jordan said.
Jordan carried out a coordinated airdrop in the north, but windy conditions caused some supplies to land on the Israeli side of the border, an Israeli military spokesperson said at a briefing Thursday.
3 hr 25 min ago
Biden says Gaza food distribution site deaths will complicate negotiations, but he remains hopeful for a deal
From CNN's Nikki Carvajal
US President Joe Biden speaks to reporters before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C, on February 29.
US President Joe Biden speaks to reporters before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C, on February 29. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images
US President Joe Biden says his administration is looking into what happened at a food distribution site in Gaza — where local health officials say more than 100 people were killed and hundreds more injured — and he admitted the incident is going to complicate negotiations in the region.
“We’re checking that out right now; there are two competing versions of what happened. I don’t have an answer yet,” the president told CNN’s Arlette Saenz at the White House on Thursday.
Asked by Saenz if he worried the deaths would complicate negotiations, he responded: “Oh, I know it will.”
But Biden still expressed optimism that a deal on the hostages and a potential ceasefire could be reached soon.
“Hope springs eternal,” Biden said. “I was on the telephone with people in the region, I’m still – probably not by Monday, but I’m hopeful.”
A White House official confirmed that Biden spoke with the leaders of Egypt and Qatar on Thursday. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also spoke with his Qatari counterpart Thursday, according to a source.
A senior Biden administration official said that the incident has made US officials feel even more pressure to help get a hostages-ceasefire deal across the finish line. The situation “gives even added urgency to the process,” the official told CNN Thursday morning.
Some context: Earlier this week, Biden commented that a deal could be reached by the end of the weekend. Officials from Israel, Hamas and Qatar all distanced themselves from his optimism that a hostage-for-ceasefire deal in Gaza could be reached by the end of this week.
2 hr 33 min ago
"Life is draining out of Gaza at terrifying speed," UN relief chief warns
From CNN’s Martin Goillandeau
A picture taken from a position in southern Israel on February 29, shows destroyed buildings in the Gaza Strip.
A picture taken from a position in southern Israel on February 29, shows destroyed buildings in the Gaza Strip. Jack Guez/AFP/Getty Images
The United Nations aid chief warned on Thursday that life is “draining out of Gaza at terrifying speed,” after more than 100 people were killed and hundreds were injured while waiting for aid, according to the Palestinian health ministry in the strip.
“Even after close to five months of brutal hostilities, Gaza still has the ability to shock us,” UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
The UN aid chief added he was “appalled at the reported killing and injury of hundreds of people during a transfer of aid supplies west of Gaza City today.”
3 hr 44 min ago
Aid site deaths will worsen "an already critical humanitarian crisis," Oxfam policy lead says
From CNN's Antoinette Radford
People mourn following an early morning incident when Israeli forces opened fire on crowds rushing at an aid distribution point in Gaza on February 29.
People mourn following an early morning incident when Israeli forces opened fire on crowds rushing at an aid distribution point in Gaza on February 29. AFP/Getty Images
The deaths of at least 100 people crowded at an aid site in Gaza on Thursday will "only exacerbate an already critical humanitarian crisis," Oxfam's Occupied Palestinian Territory Policy Lead Bushra Khalidi told CNN.
Khalidi described the incident as “absolutely appalling.”
“It’s clear from the aerial footage that these civilians are desperate. You know, we don't need more footage than this to show so the level of desperation that we're finding in the north,” she said.
At least 104 people were killed and more than 700 injured in western Gaza City after Israel Defense Forces troops opened fire as hungry Palestinians were gathering around food aid trucks, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza. An eyewitness told CNN that though large crowds were waiting for food to be distributed from the trucks, the chaos and confusion that led to people being hit by them only started once Israeli soldiers opened fire.
An Israeli official told CNN troops did use live fire on the people surrounding an aid truck as the crowd “approached the forces in a manner that posed a threat to the troops,” adding that the incident “is under review.” Earlier on Thursday, an Israeli government spokesperson told reporters that the incident was "obviously a tragedy," but Khalidi refuted that suggestion.
“It’s not a tragic event. The unfolding tragedy in Gaza is just a reminder of the need to address the root causes of this conflict,” she said.
“Attacks on health and the reduction of aid because of Israeli restrictions are unacceptable and violate international law, especially when we have an ICJ (International Court of Justice) order that is very clear where it asks Israel and member states to uphold their duties and responsibilities to ensure that there's unfettered access to humanitarian workers and humanitarian aid in Gaza. And it's not happening,” she added.
3 hr 42 min ago
Talks involving rival Palestinian political factions are underway in Russia, state media says
From CNN’s Anna Chernova
Azzam Al-Ahmad, a member of Fatah's central committee and of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, leaves after the Intra-Palestinian meeting in Moscow, Russia, on February 29.
Azzam Al-Ahmad, a member of Fatah's central committee and of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, leaves after the Intra-Palestinian meeting in Moscow, Russia, on February 29. Ilya Pitalev/Sputnik/AP
Intra-Palestinian talks focusing on Gaza's settlement are underway in Moscow, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reports.
The meetings with the leading Palestinian factions began with a speech by the director of the Russian Institute of Oriental Studies, Vitaly Naumkin, in which he welcomed the participants and wished them successful work, according to the state media report.
The Russian foreign ministry earlier said representatives from Hamas and rival political faction Fatah, which dominates the Palestinian Authority, would take part in the talks.
Fatah spokesperson Hussein Hamayel confirmed to CNN on Wednesday the attendance of officials from the Fatah Central Committee. However, Hamas has not confirmed its participation.
The goal of the meeting was to find ways to “unite the Palestinian factions under the Palestinian Liberation Organization” and to form a new government capable of working in East Jerusalem, the occupied West Bank and Gaza, Hamayel said.
In his opening remarks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called for solving the problem of creating a Palestinian state in accordance with the resolutions of the Security Council and the United Nations General Assembly, and advocated resuming direct dialogue between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
Palestinian Authority prime minister and government resign amid pressure to reform | CNN
RELATED
Palestinian Authority prime minister and government resign amid pressure to reform | CNN
CNN's Matog Saleh and Celine Alkhaldi contributed to this report.
3 hr 19 min ago
Israeli military says 2 separate aid truck incidents happened in Gaza — which contradicts eyewitness accounts
From CNN's Jeremy Diamond
There were two separate incidents involving aid trucks in Gaza that took place several hundred meters apart Thursday, an Israeli military spokesperson claimed in a briefing, offering a timeline that contradicts what eyewitness accounts have said.
What the spokesperson said: In the first incident, at about 4 a.m. local time, roughly 30 trucks with humanitarian aid went from the southern Kerem Shalom crossing into the north. The convoy traveled north across Gaza toward shelters along a coastal road. As they entered northern Gaza, thousands of people surrounded the trucks. The people then rushed the trucks, and dozens were injured and killed — some after being run over by the trucks.
Subsequently, the spokesperson claimed, a group of Palestinians approached a Israeli military position nearby. The soldiers fired warning shots in the air and then fired toward those who "posed a threat and did not move away."
"The truckloads went into the north, then there was the stampede, and then afterwards, there was the event against our forces. That’s how things transpired this morning,” the spokesperson said.
When asked how many civilians were killed when they approached Israeli forces, he said he did not have any figures to provide.
CNN cannot independently confirm the version of events given by the Israeli military spokesperson.
What eyewitnesses said: That timeline directly contradicts eyewitness accounts, which indicate that the Israeli military opened fire on people near the trucks, causing truck drivers to drive away in panic, killing additional people.
At least 104 people were killed and 760 injured in the chaotic incident, according to the Palestinian health ministry in Gaza. CNN is unable to independently confirm these numbers.
CNN's Jennifer Hauser contributed reporting to this post.
This post has been updated with additional comments from the spokesperson.
5 hr 10 min ago
Biden administration says it is monitoring "serious incident" at Gaza aid site
From CNN's MJ Lee
A spokesperson for the US National Security Council said the White House is looking into the situation in Gaza involving food aid trucks and reports of dozens killed, calling it a "serious incident."
The spokesperson also called for a temporary ceasefire in the war in a statement.
"We mourn the loss of innocent life and recognize the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, where innocent Palestinians are just trying to feed their families. This underscores the importance of expanding and sustaining the flow of humanitarian assistance into Gaza, including through a potential temporary ceasefire. We continue to work day and night to achieve that outcome," according to the statement.
2 hr 46 min ago
Many victims at Gaza aid site were rammed by trucks in chaos after Israeli fire, local journalist says
From Khadder Al Za'anoun and CNN's Abeer Salman
A screengrab captured from an IDF video shows Palestinians surrounding humanitarian aid trucks in Gaza City on Thursday.
A screengrab captured from an IDF video shows Palestinians surrounding humanitarian aid trucks in Gaza City on Thursday. IDF/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
Many of the casualties in the chaos that erupted in Gaza at a food distribution site were killed as a result of being run over by aid trucks as they tried to escape Israeli fire, according to a local journalist in Gaza, Khadeer Al Za'anoun.
Al Za'anoun, who was at the scene and witnessed the incident, told CNN that, though large crowds were waiting for food to be distributed from aid trucks, the chaos and confusion that led to people being hit by the trucks only started once Israeli soldiers opened fire.
"Most of the people that were killed were rammed by the aid trucks during the chaos and while trying to escape the Israeli gunfire," he said.
He said that around 20 were killed directly by the gunfire, and the rest were killed under the aid trucks' wheels.
5 hr 15 min ago
Israeli government spokesperson says the deaths at Gaza humanitarian aid site are a "tragedy"
From CNN's Lauren Izso and Jennifer Hauser
Injured Palestinians receive medical treatment in Al-Shifa Hospital after Israeli forces open fire on Palestinians waiting for humanitarian aid trucks at Al-Rashid Street in Gaza on February 29.
Injured Palestinians receive medical treatment in Al-Shifa Hospital after Israeli forces open fire on Palestinians waiting for humanitarian aid trucks at Al-Rashid Street in Gaza on February 29. Dawoud Abo Alkas/Anadolu/Getty Images
Israeli government spokesperson Avi Hyman told reporters that people in Gaza who were killed while waiting in line for humanitarian aid are "obviously a tragedy, but we're not sure of the specifics quite yet."
What we know: At least 104 people were killed, and 760 injured in a chaotic incident where IDF troops used live fire as hungry Palestinian civilians were gathering around food aid trucks, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza.
CNN is unable to independently confirm these numbers.
Civilians had swarmed around newly arrived aid trucks hoping to get food, when Israeli tanks and drones started shooting at the people in Haroun Al Rasheed Street in western Gaza City, in the Sheikh Ajleen area.
What Israel says: An Israeli official told CNN IDF troops did use live fire on people surrounding the aid truck as "the crowd approached the forces in a manner that posed a threat to the troops, who responded to the threat with live fire. The incident is under review."
"I can tell you this is a developing situation," Hyman told reporters.
"At some point, the trucks were overwhelmed and the people driving the trucks, which were Gazan civilian drivers plowed into the crowds of people ultimately killing as my understanding is tens of people. I don't have anything more specific to that. It is unfolding," Hyman said.
6 hr 23 min ago
Senior Hamas member warns Gaza killings could lead to failure of ceasefire talks
From CNN’s Mostafa Salem in Abu Dhabi
Hamas senior member Izzat Al-Risheq warned that the killing of people collecting aid from trucks in Gaza could lead to the failure of ongoing talks aiming at the release of hostages and a ceasefire.
“Negotiations are not an open process,” he said in a statement published by the Hamas on Telegram.
“We will not allow for the pathway of the negotiations…[to become] a cover for the enemy’s continued crimes against our people in the Gaza Strip,” Al-Risheq said.
At least 104 people were killed and 760 injured on Thursday in a chaotic incident where IDF troops opened fire as hungry Palestinian civilians were gathering around food aid trucks, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza.
CNN is unable to independently confirm these numbers. The IDF said, "the incident is under review."
5 hr 47 min ago
At least 104 people killed and hundreds injured in Gaza while waiting for food, Palestinian officials say
From CNN's Abeer Salman and Jeremy Diamond in Jerusalem and Khader Al Za’anoun in Gaza
Injured Palestinians receive medical treatment in Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza on February 29.
Injured Palestinians receive medical treatment in Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza on February 29. Dawoud Abo Alkas/Anadolu/Getty Images
At least 104 people were killed and 760 injured in a chaotic incident where Israel Defense Forces' troops opened fire as hungry Palestinian civilians were gathering around food aid trucks, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza.
CNN is unable to independently confirm these numbers.
Civilians had swarmed around newly arrived aid trucks in the hope to get food, when Israeli tanks and drones started shooting at the people in Haroun Al Rasheed Street in western Gaza City, in the Sheikh Ajleen area.
An Israeli official told CNN IDF troops did use live fire on people surrounding aid truck as "the crowd approached the forces in a manner that posed a threat to the troops, who responded to the threat with live fire. The incident is under review."
The aid trucks tried to escape the area, accidentally ramming others and causing further deaths and injuries, the eyewitnesses added to CNN.
Dr. Amjad Eleiwa at the Al Shifa Hospital's emergency room told CNN 40 of the people who were killed had arrived at the hospital.
Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya from Kamal Adwan Hospital told CNN that another 10 killed individuals had arrived at the hospital, while Al Awda Hospital in Jabalya confirmed the arrival of 3 other killed individuals.
The death toll and number of injured is expected to increase as many bodies and people are still out on the street, with ambulances struggling to reach those in need because rubble is blocking the way, Ahmad Abu Al Foul told CNN.
Responding to CNN, the IDF said "the incident is under review."
"Early this morning, during the entry of humanitarian aid trucks into the northern Gaza Strip, Gazan residents surrounded the trucks, and looted the supplies being delivered. During the incident, dozens of Gazans were injured as a result of pushing and trampling," the IDF told CNN.
Oxfam International has condemned the attack in a post on X, saying it was a "gross violation of international humanitarian laws and our humanity."
The death toll and number of injured have been updated to reflect the latest information provided by officials.
6 hr 50 min ago
Protesters with Israeli flags at Kerem Shalom border crossing block aid to Gaza
From CNN's Lauren Izso and Caitlin Danaher
Protestors holding Israeli flags at the Kerem Shalom border crossing between Israel and Gaza Strip appear to have blocked aid shipments into Gaza on Thursday, videos obtained by CNN show.
Videos show a line of aid trucks reversing away from the crossing, obstructing the deliverance of humanitarian shipments to the territory.
Dozens of people stand by the lorries, surrounded by Israeli flags, with some holding placards demanding the release of hostages. The extent of the disruption is unclear.
On Monday, the Commissioner-General of The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said humanitarian aid deliveries into Gaza have declined by 50% compared to January. On Tuesday, UN humanitarian officials said over half a million people in Gaza are “one step away from famine."
Tsav 9, the group behind the protests, said Thursday that they will “continue with all our strength, to block the oxygen for the Nukhba terrorists with our bodies.”
“No aid goes through until the last of the abductees returns,” the group added.
Tsav 9 have been protesting at the crossing since late January.
CNN’s Ibrahim Dahman, Mohammed Tawfeeq and Lucas Lilieholm contributed to this report.
9 hr 6 min ago
Israeli hostage families continue long-distance march to Jerusalem
From CNN's Lauren Izso
Families and supporters of Israeli hostages held in Gaza march with photos of hostages as they start a four-day protest march at the 'Nova' party site to Jerusalem on February 28, in Re'im, Israel.
Families and supporters of Israeli hostages held in Gaza march with photos of hostages as they start a four-day protest march at the 'Nova' party site to Jerusalem on February 28, in Re'im, Israel. Amir Levy/Getty Images
Families of hostages in Gaza have started the second day of their long-distance march from southern Israel's Re'im to Jerusalem, repeating their calls for the release of those captured during the October 7 attack.
"The families of the hostages are now setting out from Kibbutz Gat and will continue marching, alongside the public, to the end point on Saturday in Jerusalem," the the Hostages families Forum Headquarters said on Thursday.
The families will be joined by former hostages, survivors of the Hamas attack, and the public.
The group started the four-day March on Wednesday from the site of the Nova festival in Re'im.
Some background: Hamas militants stormed the Nova festival on October 7 in an attack that killed over 360 people.
In the attacks on Israel that day, 1,200 people were killed and more than 240 were taken hostage.
There are believed to be 130 hostages still in Gaza, of which 99 are believed to be alive.
Pressure is mounting for a hostage-for-ceasefire deal in Gaza, with negotiations ongoing.
11 hr 11 min ago
US defense minister asked about hostage negotiations in call with Israeli counterpart
From CNN's Lauren Izso and Alex Stambaugh
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin delivers remarks during a meeting at Pentagon on February 7, in Arlington, Virginia. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Wednesday, according to statements released by their respective offices.
Austin asked for Gallant's "assessment of negotiations for the release of hostages held by Hamas," according to a statement from Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder.
The two also discussed the urgent need for more humanitarian assistance to reach Palestinian civilians and the need to facilitate new routes for aid into northern Gaza, according to the Pentagon's statement.
Gallant emphasized the importance of US leadership and international pressure to achieve "a framework that will enable the return of hostages," the Israeli minister's office said.
Gallant also briefed Austin on the destruction of "dozens of kilometers" of Hamas tunnels in Gaza.
The Israeli minister reiterated the defense establishment's "determination" to continue operating "until the removal of this threat, the destruction of Hamas battalions, the elimination of Hamas leadership and return of hostages."
Gallant also detailed attacks by Hezbollah on Israel's northern border, saying that Israel will not tolerate threats against its citizens and violations of its sovereignty, and "will take the measures required to ensure their security."
8 hr 18 min ago
Death toll in Gaza tops 30,000, health ministry says
From CNN staff
Residents conduct a search and rescue operation in the rubble of destroyed buildings after Israeli attacks at al-Nuseirat refugee camp in Deir al-Balah, Gaza on February 28.
Residents conduct a search and rescue operation in the rubble of destroyed buildings after Israeli attacks at al-Nuseirat refugee camp in Deir al-Balah, Gaza on February 28. Ashraf Amra/Anadolu/Getty Images
More than 30,000 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel’s war with Hamas began in October, the health ministry in the besieged enclave said Thursday.
The towering figure underscores a horrific, months-long ordeal for Palestinians in the territory, during which Israel’s bombing and ground campaigns have displaced the vast majority of the population and created a dire humanitarian crisis.
Israel is facing mounting pressure globally to halt the conflict, but its campaign in Gaza has retained the support of the United States, its key ally and largest supplier of military aid.
The US proposed a “temporary ceasefire” at the United Nations earlier this month, but has vetoed calls for an immediate halt in the conflict.
The death toll highlights fears of more suffering in Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost city where more than 1 million people are crammed, and where Israel is expected to launch a fresh offensive.
Gaza’s health ministry does not distinguish between civilians and fighters but has said in recent updates that around 70% of the casualties are women and children.
Israel estimates about 10,000 Hamas fighters have been killed since October 7, when Israel declared war on the militant group. More than 1,200 people in Israel were killed during Hamas’ attacks on that day, and more than 250 were kidnapped and taken hostage in Gaza.
CNN cannot independently verify the casualty tolls in Gaza or the Israeli estimates of Hamas fighters killed.
Read more about the rising death toll as a result of Israel's war with Hamas.
14 hr 13 min ago
Concern rising among Biden officials that Israel may launch incursion into Lebanon
From CNN's Alex Marquardt
Smoke billows above the Lebanese village of Bint Jbeil during Israeli bombardment on February 28. Jalaa Marey/AFP/Getty Images
US administration and intelligence officials are concerned that Israel is planning a ground incursion into Lebanon that could be launched in the coming months if diplomatic efforts fail to push Hezbollah back from the northern border with Israel, senior administration officials and officials familiar with the intelligence said.
While a final Israeli decision has yet to be made, the worry is acute enough inside the Biden administration that the prospect of an incursion has made its way into intelligence briefings for senior administration officials, according to one person who received a briefing and was told an operation could happen early summer.
“We are operating in the assumption that an Israeli military operation is in the coming months,” one senior Biden administration official said. “Not necessarily imminently in the next few weeks but perhaps later this spring. An Israeli military operation is a distinct possibility.”
The leadership of Hezbollah, a powerful Iran-backed paramilitary group, has expressed support for Palestinians and condemned Israel's offensive in Gaza.
There have been months of daily, deadly cross-border strikes by both Israel and Hezbollah that have displaced tens of thousands of Lebanese and Israeli residents from their homes. Israel has fired artillery and launched jets and drones to strike targets while Hezbollah has used some of its vast arsenal of rockets and missiles.
While the US is a key mediator in discussions over a pause in the fighting in Gaza, the Biden administration has also been leading parallel discussions with Israeli and Lebanese officials that if successful would create a miles-wide buffer zone inside southern Lebanon. That deal would likely postpone an Israeli incursion, US officials believe.
Read the full story here.
14 hr 9 min ago
It's morning in Gaza. Here's what you need to know
From CNN staff
This picture shows a camp for internally displaced Palestinians in Rafah, Gaza on February 28.
This picture shows a camp for internally displaced Palestinians in Rafah, Gaza on February 28. AFP/Getty Images
The United States considering airdropping aid into Gaza as the humanitarian crisis there worsens and aid fails to reach people in the war-torn territory, two US officials told CNN on Wednesday.
US officials have consistently said that much more must be done for critically, necessary assistance to reach people in Gaza, where more than 2 million people are at “imminent risk” of famine, according to the United Nations.
Hospitals face dire conditions, and at least six children have died in recent days as a result of dehydration and malnutrition in Gazan medical facilities, according to the enclave's health ministry.
Earlier this week, Jordan, Egypt, the UAE, Qatar and France airdropped aid in various areas in Gaza, in a sign of how desperate the situation has become. Top US officials have called on Israel to open more crossings to allow aid to enter Gaza, as the flow of trucks into the enclave trickled down to less than 100 per day last week, according to USAID chief Samantha Power.
Here are our other top headlines:
Deadly Israeli strikes: Israeli airstrikes in central Gaza killed at least 20 people Wednesday, health officials at Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital said.
More Israeli strikes: Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon killed at least two people and wounded 14 others, according to Lebanon's state-run NNA news. The airstrikes hit the towns of Kafra and Seddiqine, near the border with Israel.
Indiscriminate killing: The United Nations is urging an investigation into indiscriminate Israeli fire that killed half of a family in Gaza after a CNN report on the attack was published Wednesday.
Ramadan fears: The US called on Israel to allow worshippers to visit the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem for Ramadan, as Hamas calls for Palestinians in Jerusalem and the West Bank to march on the mosque on the first day of the holy month. The US also called on Israel to sign a letter pledging it would not commit human rights violations with American weapons.
UNRWA allegations: Israel still has not provided evidence to support its allegations that members of the main UN aid agency in Gaza were involved in the October 7 Hamas attacks, according to the head of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
Russia hosts Palestinian meeting: Palestinian factions will meet in Moscow on Thursday to discuss forming a new government after the Palestinian Authority cabinet resigned on Monday. Hamas hasn’t confirmed attendance, but a Russian official said "all parties" have agreed to participate.
14 hr 59 min ago
International correspondents call for "free and unfettered" access to Gaza
From CNN's Jennifer Deaton and Mohammed Tawfeeq
Fifty-five foreign news correspondents have signed a letter calling for international media to be allowed "free and unfettered" access to Gaza to conduct comprehensive on-the-ground reporting on Israel's war with Hamas.
The letter is addressed to the governments of Israel and Egypt and was delivered to their embassies in London.
"We urge the Governments of Israel and Egypt to allow free and unfettered access to Gaza for all foreign media. We call on the government of Israel to openly state its permission for international journalists to operate in Gaza and for the Egyptian authorities to allow international journalists access to the Rafah Crossing," the letter said.
Those who signed the letter include CNN's Chief International Anchor Christiane Amanpour and Chief International Correspondent Clarissa Ward. Dozens more international correspondents from Sky News, BBC, Channel 4, ITN, CBS, NBC and ABC also signed the letter.
The letter also emphasized the importance of on-the-ground reporting.
"There is intense global interest in the events in Gaza and for now the only reporting has come from journalists who were already based there," the letter says.
"It's vital that local journalists' safety is respected and that their efforts are bolstered by the journalism of members of the international media. The need for comprehensive on the ground reporting of the conflict is imperative."
Reporting restrictions: Foreign media have been allowed limited access to Gaza, which has been either embedded with the Israeli military on condition of viewing and approving unedited raw footage or, in rare instances, with humanitarian aid convoys into the enclave.
There has been no public response to the letter from Israel or Egypt.
15 hr 2 min ago
New Zealand designates entirety of Hamas as a "terrorist entity"
From CNN’s Michael Rios and Akanksha Sharma
The New Zealand government designated all of Hamas as a “terrorist entity” on Thursday, broadening its policy on the Islamist group.
The country now considers Hamas' political wing a "terrorist entity". It designated the military wing of Hamas a "terrorist entity" in 2010.
“What happened on 7 October reinforces we can no longer distinguish between the military and political wings of Hamas,” New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters said.
He said that the “organisation as a whole bears responsibility for these horrific terrorist attacks.”
The move means that any assets of Hamas in New Zealand will be frozen, and any financial or property transactions or material support to Hamas is now a criminal offense in the country.
Calls to end violence: New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon clarified that “this designation targets Hamas, not the provision of private humanitarian support to Palestinian civilians.”
It will also not hinder New Zealand's efforts to provide humanitarian and development assistance to the civilians in Gaza, Luxon said.
Consular support to New Zealand citizens or permanent residents in the conflict zone will also not be affected.
Peters said that Wellington remains “gravely concerned” about the impact of the conflict on civilians in Gaza and called “for an end to the violence and an urgent resumption of the Middle East Peace Process.”
"A lasting solution to the conflict will only be achieved by peaceful means,” Peters said.
15 hr 3 min ago
US considers airdropping aid into Gaza as humanitarian crisis worsens, officials say
From CNN's Jennifer Hansler
A child carries a sack filled with personal belongings at a camp for displaced Palestinians in Rafah, Gaza, on February 28.
A child carries a sack filled with personal belongings at a camp for displaced Palestinians in Rafah, Gaza, on February 28. AFP/Getty Images
The United States is looking into possible airdrops of aid into Gaza as the humanitarian crisis there worsens and aid fails to reach people in the war-torn territory, two US officials told CNN on Wednesday.
US officials have consistently said that much more must be done for critically necessary assistance to reach people in Gaza, where more than 2 million people are at “imminent risk” of famine, according to the United Nations.
One US official said the prospect of airdrops is being seriously considered based on conditions on the ground. Axios first reported that the US is exploring the move.
Earlier this week, Jordan, Egypt, the UAE, Qatar and France airdropped relief aid on various areas in the Gaza Strip, in a sign of how desperate the situation has become.
Top US officials have called on Israel to open additional crossings to allow aid to enter Gaza, as the flow of trucks into the enclave trickled down to less than 100 per day last week, according to Samantha Power, administrator for the US Agency for International Development.
“It is absolutely clear, that as conditions continue to deteriorate in Gaza, for the Gazan people, two crossings is not enough,” Power said Wednesday in a video message from the Kerem Shalom crossing.
“This is a matter of life and death.”
Power met on Wednesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, one of the US officials told CNN.
15 hr 6 min ago
Israeli airstrikes on central Gaza kill at least 20 people, health officials say
From CNN's Abeer Salman and Mohammed Tawfeeq
A woman mourns a loved one killed during Israeli bombardment, outside Al-Aqsa hospital in Deir el-Balah, central Gaza on February 28.
A woman mourns a loved one killed during Israeli bombardment, outside Al-Aqsa hospital in Deir el-Balah, central Gaza on February 28. AFP/Getty Images
Israeli airstrikes on central Gaza killed at least 20 people on Wednesday, according to health officials at Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.
The death toll could rise, as many people remain under the rubble, the officials said.
Several witnesses told CNN on Wednesday that airstrikes hit residential buildings in Al Bureij and Nuseirat in central Gaza.
CNN cannot independently verify the number of casualties.
A video obtained by CNN from Al-Aqsa Hospital shows multiple deceased people being brought from the area to the facility. It shows the bodies of several people being wrapped in white cloth.
The footage showed family members weeping and crying hysterically near the bodies.
The video also shows several wounded people being carried on stretchers.
CNN has reached out to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for comment on the airstrike.
15 hr 7 min ago
The US asks Israel to sign a letter pledging not to commit human rights violations with US weapons
From CNN's Jennifer Hansler
The United States called on Israel to sign a letter pledging it will not commit human rights violations with US weapons, State Department spokesperson Matt Miller said.
He noted the request is not specific to Israel, but applies to all nations who receive US military assistance.
He said the letter calls on countries receiving US assistance to "provide us written assurances that recipients, number one, will use the weapons in accordance with the US with a law of war and, number two, will facilitate and not arbitrarily deny or restrict humanitarian assistance."
“There is a process that we are engaged in with every country that receives military assistance for the United States to make sure they are aware of the requirements of the national security memorandum, make sure that they are aware of the timeline that is outlined in the national security memorandum,” Miller explained at a State Department briefing Wednesday.
“It requires a 45-day timeline for these countries to provide written assurances, so we’re going about that process now,” he said.
More context: Israel has come under immense scrutiny for the way it has prosecuted its war in Gaza. Tens of thousands of people have been killed and US officials have repeatedly called on Israel to do more to decrease the death toll. There are growing calls from Congress to condition military aid to Israel. Nations around the world are sounding the alarm against a potential military offensive in Rafah, where more than a million people have been displaced.
Miller previously confirmed that the US is assessing civilian harm from US weapons in Israel.
15 hr 9 min ago
Children dying of malnutrition in Gaza as hospitals struggle to operate, health ministry says
From CNN's Kareem Khadder and Hande Atay Alam
Displaced Palestinians arrive at Al-Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City to take shelter on February 22.
Displaced Palestinians arrive at Al-Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City to take shelter on February 22. Dawoud Abo Alkas/Anadolu/Getty Images
At least six children died in recent days as a result of dehydration and malnutrition in Gazan medical facilities, the health ministry said.
At least four children died at Kamal Adwan Hospital over the past few days, and two children died at the Al-Shifa Medical Complex on Wednesday, according to the health ministry and a local doctor.
"Another baby died today as a result of malnutrition at Kamal Adwan Hospital, which is the only pediatrics hospital in northern Gaza," Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the acting director and head of the pediatrics at Kamal Adwan Hospital, said.
Safiya said the generators would stop working tonight because of the hospital's fuel shortage, "which means our incubators and oxygen supply will stop and only will run on solar panels during the day."
"The hospital is out of service starting today due to running out of fuel," and "surgical operations in the hospital were completely stopped as a result of lack of medical supplies," Safiya said.
Safiya also pointed out the lack of medical aid and baby formula in the hospital and said babies are getting milk that's "diluted and not concentrated" every five or six hours instead of the recommended three to four hours.
Mothers are unable to produce natural milk "due to dehydration and lack of nutritional food," Safiya said.
15 hr 9 min ago
UN calls for investigation after CNN report on indiscriminate Israeli fire that killed half a family in Gaza
From CNN’s Richard Roth and Amy Cassidy
The United Nations is urging an investigation into indiscriminate Israeli fire that killed half of a family in Gaza, after a CNN report about it was published Wednesday.
“We call for a full investigation into what was reported,” the UN secretary-general’s spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said Wednesday during a news conference, in response to a question from CNN.
The UN does not have its own information on the incident, “but they need to be investigated,” Dujarric said, reiterating the UN’s plea for Israel to allow more journalists in Gaza.
15 hr 10 min ago
Israel hasn't provided evidence to support allegations against UNRWA employees, agency chief says
From CNN's Ami Kaufman, Amy Cassidy and CNN staff
Israel still has not provided evidence to support its allegations that members of the main United Nations aid agency in Gaza were involved in the October 7 Hamas attacks, the head of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said Wednesday.
“To my knowledge, up to today, there (hasn’t) been any new information transmitted to UNRWA and to the United Nations,” the organization's Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour in his first one-on-one TV interview since the allegations emerged in January.
“We keep now calling to the Israeli authority to cooperate with the investigation team so that we can come to a swift conclusion,” he continued.
"We haven’t received anything more than what we see on the media," he said.
Lazzarini called footage that purports to show a UNRWA staff member participating in the kidnapping of Yonatan Samerano — who was killed in kibbutz Be’eri on October 7 — "shocking images."
Background on the footage: A video screened last week during a press conference with the Hostage and Missing Families Forum showed a white SUV approaching the entrance of what appears to be the kibbutz. Two men exit the vehicle and are seen carrying a body from the road into the vehicle. One of the men is identified in the footage as an UNWRA worker. CNN could not independently verify the identity of the men or Israel’s allegations about his involvement with Hamas.
Lazzarini said that he "personally cannot recognize the person on the video." He called for "more forensic evidence to be provided," while acknowledging the name of the accused man in the video "matched our staff list" and that his UNRWA contract was terminated.
Remember: UNRWA fired 10 of the 12 staff members accused by Israel of involvement in the October 7 attacks and launched an investigation into the allegations, in hopes of keeping international funding to the agency flowing at a critical time. At least 16 countries have paused or suspended funding to UNRWA since the allegations emerged, Lazzarini said, warning that operations beyond March will be impacted unless more money is donated.
14 hr 53 min ago
How indiscriminate Israeli bombing killed half a family
From CNN's Abeer Salman, Mohammad Al Sawalhi, Benjamin Brown, Mick Krever, Jomana Karadsheh, Ivana Kottasová, Gianluca Mezzofiore, Carlotta Dotto, Byron Manley and Lou Robinson
The right side of Roba Abu Jibba’s face is almost completely gone – a deep, bloody wound is where her eye should be.
The 18-year-old, confused and in pain, lies on a gurney in Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza. She tries to explain how she got there. She had been sheltering with her family for two months in an industrial warehouse on Salaheddin Street, the strip’s main north-south highway, she explains, when they came under heavy fire from the Israeli military.
In a whisper, she recalls being shot at, explosions and bulldozing. She says she watched her brothers and sisters die around her. Her mother and three of her siblings were able to flee, but she’s not sure where they went.
After a chance encounter and the discovery of Roba’s identification card under rubble, a weeks-long CNN investigation has been able to piece together what happened during one terrifying night in early January, which left five of her siblings dead. Their story offers a window into the Israeli military’s overwhelming and often indiscriminate use of force in areas where civilians were told they would be safe, helping to uncover an atrocity that would otherwise have remained hidden.
CNN interviewed seven eyewitnesses to the attack, tracking down relatives now scattered across the enclave, including Roba’s mother. Their testimonies were cross-referenced with hospital records, satellite imagery and dozens of videos and photos from the scene, reviewed by forensics and ballistic experts, who analyzed the damage to the building and injuries of the people found inside of it.
Read more about the CNN special report here.
15 hr 15 min ago
Families of killed Palestinian-Americans demand answers from US and Israel
From CNN's Yahya Abou-Ghazala and Alex Marquardt
US citizen Mohammad Ahmad Khdour, 17, was shot to death in the West Bank.
US citizen Mohammad Ahmad Khdour, 17, was shot to death in the West Bank. From US Office of Palestinian Affairs/X
The last moments of Mohammad Khdour’s life could be those of any American teenager: taking the car out during a study break, snacking on chocolate waffles, posing for Instagram.
Those carefree moments with his cousin along the hillsides of Biddu, in the occupied West Bank, were captured in photos and videos reviewed by CNN.
They were snuffed out, his family says, when an Israeli gunman opened fire on their car, shooting the 17-year-old Mohammad in the head.
The death of Mohammad, a Florida-born US citizen, just weeks after another 17-year-old American citizen was shot under strikingly similar circumstances in the occupied West Bank, has underscored the frustrations among Palestinian-Americans who say the United States is doing little to respond to the deaths of their loved ones.
Videos from the aftermath of the February 10 shooting show several people rushing to the damaged car, pulling Mohammad's limp, bloodied body out from the shattered glass.
Mohammad died hours later at a Ramallah hospital, his family said.
The Israel Defense Forces referred questions about the case to the Israeli Security Agency, which did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment.
Some context: The killing or detention of American citizens in occupied Palestinian territories by Israelis and the concerns about a lack of accountability date back years.
In 2003, 23-year-old American activist Rachel Corrie was crushed by an Israeli army bulldozer while trying to block it from razing Palestinian homes in Gaza. Nine years later, an Israeli civil court ruled Corrie’s death an accident.
Read more about Palestinian Americans who were killed in the region.
15 hr 15 min ago
Hostages’ families continue 4-day march from Nova Festival site to Jerusalem
From CNN's Pauline Lockwoo
Families and supporters of Israeli hostages held in Gaza hold signs depicting some of the hostages in Re'im, Israel, as they begin a four-day protest march to Jerusalem on February 28. Amir Levy/Getty Images
Families of hostages in Gaza started a four-day march on Wednesday from the site of the Nova Festival in southern Israel's Re'im to Jerusalem, repeating calls for the release of those kidnapped on October 7.
"March with us for the hostages," the Hostages Families Forum Headquarters said on Wednesday.
"No one should be left behind. The State of Israel cannot be fully restored without securing the release of all the hostages, the living and the murdered."
An aerial view shows the march setting out on a road in Re'im on Wednesday.
An aerial view shows the march setting out on a road in Re'im on Wednesday. Jack Guez/AFP/Getty Images
Remember: Hamas militants stormed the Nova Festival on October 7 in an attack that killed over 360 people.
In the attacks on Israel that day, 1,200 people were killed and more than 240 were taken hostage.
There are believed to be 130 hostages still in Gaza, of which 99 are believed to be alive.
Pressure is mounting for a hostage-for-ceasefire deal in Gaza, with negotiations ongoing.
No comments:
Post a Comment