Israel's prime minister rejects calls for ceasefire as ground operation intensifies. Here's what to know
From CNN staff
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made clear on Monday that Israel would not agree to a ceasefire as the country's ground operations in Gaza intensify. He said while the Bible says there is a time for peace, "this is a time for war."
Meanwhile, a Hamas spokesperson said Israel was not successful in entering Gaza "except in some limited areas," and described the humanitarian situation in the enclave as "disastrous."
The Israel Defense Forces has not released details about how far it has advanced, but it is clear that Israeli troops have established positions well within the strip, with CNN crews reporting armored personnel carriers moving inside the border fence on Monday.
Here's what else to know:
Ground operation: The Israeli military said Monday its troops have killed four prominent Hamas operatives as part of its expanded ground operations in Gaza. Over the weekend, Israel announced it had entered the “second stage” of its war against Hamas, warning Sunday that its ground operation in Gaza would ramp up. In Sderot, about a kilometer from the Gaza perimeter, CNN crews heard machine gun fire on numerous occasions during the day, suggesting intense fighting on the ground in northern Gaza.
Soldier rescued: A female Israeli soldier who was abducted by Hamas on October 7 was “actively rescued” in a special operation, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) told CNN on Tuesday. Pvt. Ori Megidish was rescued by Israeli forces in northern Gaza in an intelligence-led operation and is “well mentally and physically,” after being reunited with her family, IDF spokesperson Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus said.
Hostage video: Hamas released a short video on Monday showing three women who are believed to be captives held by the militant group since its October 7 attack. The video shows them seated in plastic chairs facing the camera, while the woman in the middle addresses Netanyahu directly with increasing fury, demanding Israeli leaders to “free us all." CNN is unable to verify anything about their circumstances or well-being. Ongoing talks that include the US, Israel, Qatar, Egypt and Hamas are underway to get a large group of hostages out of Gaza, a task that sources say is now further complicated by Israel’s expansion of its ground operations.
Humanitarian crisis: The humanitarian situation in the enclave is continuing to deteriorate. The United Nations reported that thousands of desperate Palestinians are taking basic items like flour and hygiene supplies from warehouses — while facing sustained Israeli airstrikes. A total of 26 trucks went through the Rafah crossing into Gaza on Monday, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said. The head of surgery at the largest hospital in Gaza described dire conditions and said staff at the facility “cannot cope” with the huge number of patients they are treating.
West Bank strikes: Israel reported new operations against armed Palestinian groups in the occupied West Bank. The Palestinian Ministry of Health said four men were killed in an Israeli air and ground operation in the city of Jenin. According to Palestinian eyewitnesses there, the Israeli army launched two airstrikes on a refugee camp, causing severe damage to buildings.
Wider conflict fears: Lebanon's caretaker prime minister said an escalation of the war in Gaza could plunge the whole region into chaos. An uptick in Israeli clashes with Hezbollah has raised fears that the powerful Lebanese paramilitary group could actively participate in the conflict. Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi said Sunday that Israel has "crossed the red lines" and it "may force everyone to take action." The White House said the US is working to send a “strong” message of deterrence to Tehran.
A female Israeli soldier who was abducted by Hamas on October 7 was “actively rescued” in a special operation, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) told CNN on Tuesday.
Pvt. Ori Megidish was rescued by Israeli forces in northern Gaza in an intelligence-led operation and is “well mentally and physically,” after being reunited with her family., IDF spokesperson Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus told CNN’s Anderson Cooper.
An initial IDF announcement that the soldier had been “released” was a translation error, Conricus said. “It indeed was a special operation that was targeted in specifically getting her out,” he said.
Megidish has shared information about her captivity with Israeli intelligence officers, which “can be used for the future,” he added.
Conricus did not rule out more potential rescue missions but did not share whether Israel is planning any other operations based on intelligence about hostages' whereabouts.
“We are definitely committed to get all of our 238 hostages currently held by Hamas in Gaza, all of them, to get them home,” he said.
Hamas is indulging in psychological warfare by using hostages as leverage, Conricus claimed, and he pushed back on criticism that Israel’s ground operations in Gaza would potentially have a negative impact on hostage negotiations.
Based on the rescue of Megidish, “I would argue that the reality on the ground dictates differently,” he said.
Israeli forces on the ground in Gaza are expecting “fierce resistance” and “tunnel warfare, booby traps, IEDS, anti-tank mines, snipers, and many other things,” Conricus said, adding that so far “progress is good.” The Israeli military is making “considerable efforts, now in the ground warfare, to distinguish between combatants and non-combatant,” and are “moving slowly and deliberately,” he said.
2 hr 34 min ago
Israel's expanding ground operation complicating efforts to get hostages out of Gaza, sources say
From CNN's MJ Lee, Alex Marquardt and Becky Anderson
The US remains a part of the ongoing talks that include Israel, Qatar, Egypt and Hamas to get a large group of hostages out of Gaza, and officials are now contending with Israel pressing forward with ground operations into the strip.
Officials with US President Joe Biden's administration have been calling on Israel to consider so-called “humanitarian pauses” that can allow for civilians in Gaza, including hostages, to exit and for aid to get in.
Offering a glimpse into how unpredictable and fluid the situation remains, a senior US official told CNN on Monday they believed the prospects of getting hostages out could be described as “50/50.”
“The parameters are all there,” this official said about a potential deal. But efforts to negotiate with Hamas — mediated significantly by the Qataris — has been slow-going, in no small part because it simply takes a long time for messages to be transmitted from Doha to Hamas.
Majed Al-Ansari, the spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and adviser to the Qatari prime minister, told CNN on Saturday that Israel’s escalation on the ground is making the situation “considerably more difficult.”
Israel has said the intensifying ground offensive puts additional pressure on Hamas, and therefore may ultimately be helpful in the ongoing efforts to free hostages.
A US official said there could in fact be some benefit to this approach.
Jake Sullivan, Biden’s national security adviser, said on Sunday that Hamas has “not been forthcoming about allowing these hostages to go,” but the administration believes there is still a “pathway” for securing their release.
“Even though we’ve started to see Israel moving on the ground, that has not changed our basic view that this has to remain a paramount priority that we have to keep working at,” Sullivan said.
One source familiar with the discussions said the talks have centered on freeing hostages in exchange for prisoners being held by Israel.
Al-Ansari, the Qatari spokesperson, also said there have been active discussions about a “prisoner exchange” for the hostages.
The source added the negotiations also include getting Hamas to open the Rafah gates for dual nationals to leave Gaza.
“We are optimistic that the talks are headed more towards all civilian hostages,” al-Ansari said. “But obviously, it is a fluid situation ... And we still don't know will happen.”
As the talks continue, there remains real skepticism about how serious Hamas is about the negotiations, the senior US official said. “It’s Hamas after all.”
2 hr 46 min ago
UN aid agency says 64 workers killed in Gaza conflict as "entire population dehumanized"
From CNN’s Artemis Moshtaghian
Dozens of UN aid workers have been killed this month during Israel’s sustained offensive on Gaza in the highest toll of any conflict worldwide in such a short period of time, a UN commissioner said Monday.
Addressing the UN Security Council, Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), said, "I lost 64 colleagues in just over three weeks."
"The last tragic passing was two hours ago. Samir, head of security and safety in the middle region died with his wife and eight children," he said.
Lazzarini highlighted the devastated state of Gazans, saying they “feel that they are not treated as other civilians” and “they feel the world is equating all of them to Hamas.”
“This is dangerous. And we know this too well from previous conflicts and crises. An entire population is being dehumanized," he said.
“Panic pushed thousands of desperate people to head to the UNRWA warehouse and distribution centers where we store the food and other supplies,” he said.
Spreading conflict: The commissioner noted that while the focus should remain on Gaza, it is important to acknowledge the increasing violence taking place in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
He said Palestinian fatalities in the West Bank “are the highest since the UN started to keep records in 2005," while escalating tensions between Israel and Lebanon have resulted in “regular exchanges of fire and civilian casualties.”
Lazzarini expressed deep concern about the potential spillover of the conflict beyond Gaza’s borders, emphasizing that “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire has become a matter of life and death for millions.”
The official also said UNRWA needs a safe and unimpeded path to provide continuous humanitarian aid, including fuel, to Gaza residents.
“The rules of war must be followed by all parties, at all times, in all places. Civilians must be protected, hostages released, and a genuine humanitarian response facilitated,” he said.
2 hr 41 min ago
Shani Louk declared dead after forensic examiners identify skull bone fragment
From CNN's Rob Picheta
A 23-year-old German-Israeli woman who was kidnapped from the Nova music festival by Hamas militants on October 7 has been declared dead, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said.
“We are devastated to share that the body of 23 year old German-Israeli Shani (Louk) was found and identified,” the ministry posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday.
A source involved with her identification told CNN Louk’s death was announced after forensic examiners found a bone fragment from her skull.
The bone fragment was from the petrous part of the temporal bone, which is at the base of the skull, normally near the carotid artery, a major blood vessel that provides blood to the brain. A DNA test concluded the fragment belonged to Louk.
Louk was attending the festival in southern Israel earlier this month when Hamas breached the border between Gaza and Israel.
Louk was kidnapped at the festival and “tortured and paraded around Gaza by Hamas terrorists,” the foreign ministry statement said, adding that she “experienced unfathomable horrors.”
“May her memory be a blessing,” the statement said.
"This is a time for war": Netanyahu rejects calls for ceasefire in Gaza
From CNN's Kyle Blaine
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made clear on Monday that Israel would not agree to a ceasefire in Gaza, drawing parallels to the United States’ position after Pearl Harbor in 1941 and the September 11 attacks in 2001.
“I want to make clear Israel's position regarding the ceasefire. Just as the United States would not agree to a ceasefire after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, or after the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Israel will not agree to a cessation of hostilities with Hamas after the horrific attacks of October 7,” he said.
“Calls for a ceasefire or calls for Israel to surrender to Hamas, to surrender to terrorists, surrender to barbarism, that will not happen,” he added.
Netanyahu said while the Bible says there is a time for peace, he said “This is a time for war.”
When asked if he has considered stepping down, Netanyahu said the only thing he would resign is Hamas.
“We're going to resign them to the dustbin of history. That's my goal. That's my responsibility,” he said.
Meanwhile, a Hamas spokesperson said Monday that Israel was not successful in entering Gaza "except in some limited areas" and described the humanitarian situation in the enclave as "disastrous."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made clear on Monday that Israel would not agree to a ceasefire, saying "this is a time for war."
The UN warned "civil order" is deteriorating in Gaza after weeks of siege and bombardment, with people breaking into warehouses to take survival essentials. US President Joe Biden pressed Netanyahu on Sunday to “immediately and significantly” scale up the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, the White House said.
A female Israeli soldier who was abducted by Hamas on October 7 was "actively rescued" in a special operation in Gaza, Israeli forces said. Meanwhile, Hamas released a video showing three women who are believed to be captives — just days after Israeli leaders dismissed talks of progress in hostage negotiations.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made clear on Monday that Israel would not agree to a ceasefire as the country's ground operations in Gaza intensify. He said while the Bible says there is a time for peace, "this is a time for war."
Meanwhile, a Hamas spokesperson said Israel was not successful in entering Gaza "except in some limited areas," and described the humanitarian situation in the enclave as "disastrous."
The Israel Defense Forces has not released details about how far it has advanced, but it is clear that Israeli troops have established positions well within the strip, with CNN crews reporting armored personnel carriers moving inside the border fence on Monday.
Here's what else to know:
Ground operation: The Israeli military said Monday its troops have killed four prominent Hamas operatives as part of its expanded ground operations in Gaza. Over the weekend, Israel announced it had entered the “second stage” of its war against Hamas, warning Sunday that its ground operation in Gaza would ramp up. In Sderot, about a kilometer from the Gaza perimeter, CNN crews heard machine gun fire on numerous occasions during the day, suggesting intense fighting on the ground in northern Gaza.
Soldier rescued: A female Israeli soldier who was abducted by Hamas on October 7 was “actively rescued” in a special operation, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) told CNN on Tuesday. Pvt. Ori Megidish was rescued by Israeli forces in northern Gaza in an intelligence-led operation and is “well mentally and physically,” after being reunited with her family, IDF spokesperson Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus said.
Hostage video: Hamas released a short video on Monday showing three women who are believed to be captives held by the militant group since its October 7 attack. The video shows them seated in plastic chairs facing the camera, while the woman in the middle addresses Netanyahu directly with increasing fury, demanding Israeli leaders to “free us all." CNN is unable to verify anything about their circumstances or well-being. Ongoing talks that include the US, Israel, Qatar, Egypt and Hamas are underway to get a large group of hostages out of Gaza, a task that sources say is now further complicated by Israel’s expansion of its ground operations.
Humanitarian crisis: The humanitarian situation in the enclave is continuing to deteriorate. The United Nations reported that thousands of desperate Palestinians are taking basic items like flour and hygiene supplies from warehouses — while facing sustained Israeli airstrikes. A total of 26 trucks went through the Rafah crossing into Gaza on Monday, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said. The head of surgery at the largest hospital in Gaza described dire conditions and said staff at the facility “cannot cope” with the huge number of patients they are treating.
West Bank strikes: Israel reported new operations against armed Palestinian groups in the occupied West Bank. The Palestinian Ministry of Health said four men were killed in an Israeli air and ground operation in the city of Jenin. According to Palestinian eyewitnesses there, the Israeli army launched two airstrikes on a refugee camp, causing severe damage to buildings.
Wider conflict fears: Lebanon's caretaker prime minister said an escalation of the war in Gaza could plunge the whole region into chaos. An uptick in Israeli clashes with Hezbollah has raised fears that the powerful Lebanese paramilitary group could actively participate in the conflict. Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi said Sunday that Israel has "crossed the red lines" and it "may force everyone to take action." The White House said the US is working to send a “strong” message of deterrence to Tehran.
A female Israeli soldier who was abducted by Hamas on October 7 was “actively rescued” in a special operation, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) told CNN on Tuesday.
Pvt. Ori Megidish was rescued by Israeli forces in northern Gaza in an intelligence-led operation and is “well mentally and physically,” after being reunited with her family., IDF spokesperson Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus told CNN’s Anderson Cooper.
An initial IDF announcement that the soldier had been “released” was a translation error, Conricus said. “It indeed was a special operation that was targeted in specifically getting her out,” he said.
Megidish has shared information about her captivity with Israeli intelligence officers, which “can be used for the future,” he added.
Conricus did not rule out more potential rescue missions but did not share whether Israel is planning any other operations based on intelligence about hostages' whereabouts.
“We are definitely committed to get all of our 238 hostages currently held by Hamas in Gaza, all of them, to get them home,” he said.
Hamas is indulging in psychological warfare by using hostages as leverage, Conricus claimed, and he pushed back on criticism that Israel’s ground operations in Gaza would potentially have a negative impact on hostage negotiations.
Based on the rescue of Megidish, “I would argue that the reality on the ground dictates differently,” he said.
Israeli forces on the ground in Gaza are expecting “fierce resistance” and “tunnel warfare, booby traps, IEDS, anti-tank mines, snipers, and many other things,” Conricus said, adding that so far “progress is good.” The Israeli military is making “considerable efforts, now in the ground warfare, to distinguish between combatants and non-combatant,” and are “moving slowly and deliberately,” he said.
The US remains a part of the ongoing talks that include Israel, Qatar, Egypt and Hamas to get a large group of hostages out of Gaza, and officials are now contending with Israel pressing forward with ground operations into the strip.
Officials with US President Joe Biden's administration have been calling on Israel to consider so-called “humanitarian pauses” that can allow for civilians in Gaza, including hostages, to exit and for aid to get in.
Offering a glimpse into how unpredictable and fluid the situation remains, a senior US official told CNN on Monday they believed the prospects of getting hostages out could be described as “50/50.”
“The parameters are all there,” this official said about a potential deal. But efforts to negotiate with Hamas — mediated significantly by the Qataris — has been slow-going, in no small part because it simply takes a long time for messages to be transmitted from Doha to Hamas.
Majed Al-Ansari, the spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and adviser to the Qatari prime minister, told CNN on Saturday that Israel’s escalation on the ground is making the situation “considerably more difficult.”
Israel has said the intensifying ground offensive puts additional pressure on Hamas, and therefore may ultimately be helpful in the ongoing efforts to free hostages.
A US official said there could in fact be some benefit to this approach.
Jake Sullivan, Biden’s national security adviser, said on Sunday that Hamas has “not been forthcoming about allowing these hostages to go,” but the administration believes there is still a “pathway” for securing their release.
“Even though we’ve started to see Israel moving on the ground, that has not changed our basic view that this has to remain a paramount priority that we have to keep working at,” Sullivan said.
One source familiar with the discussions said the talks have centered on freeing hostages in exchange for prisoners being held by Israel.
Al-Ansari, the Qatari spokesperson, also said there have been active discussions about a “prisoner exchange” for the hostages.
The source added the negotiations also include getting Hamas to open the Rafah gates for dual nationals to leave Gaza.
“We are optimistic that the talks are headed more towards all civilian hostages,” al-Ansari said. “But obviously, it is a fluid situation ... And we still don't know will happen.”
As the talks continue, there remains real skepticism about how serious Hamas is about the negotiations, the senior US official said. “It’s Hamas after all.”
Dozens of UN aid workers have been killed this month during Israel’s sustained offensive on Gaza in the highest toll of any conflict worldwide in such a short period of time, a UN commissioner said Monday.
Addressing the UN Security Council, Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), said, "I lost 64 colleagues in just over three weeks."
"The last tragic passing was two hours ago. Samir, head of security and safety in the middle region died with his wife and eight children," he said.
Lazzarini highlighted the devastated state of Gazans, saying they “feel that they are not treated as other civilians” and “they feel the world is equating all of them to Hamas.”
“This is dangerous. And we know this too well from previous conflicts and crises. An entire population is being dehumanized," he said.
“Panic pushed thousands of desperate people to head to the UNRWA warehouse and distribution centers where we store the food and other supplies,” he said.
Spreading conflict: The commissioner noted that while the focus should remain on Gaza, it is important to acknowledge the increasing violence taking place in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
He said Palestinian fatalities in the West Bank “are the highest since the UN started to keep records in 2005," while escalating tensions between Israel and Lebanon have resulted in “regular exchanges of fire and civilian casualties.”
Lazzarini expressed deep concern about the potential spillover of the conflict beyond Gaza’s borders, emphasizing that “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire has become a matter of life and death for millions.”
The official also said UNRWA needs a safe and unimpeded path to provide continuous humanitarian aid, including fuel, to Gaza residents.
“The rules of war must be followed by all parties, at all times, in all places. Civilians must be protected, hostages released, and a genuine humanitarian response facilitated,” he said.
A 23-year-old German-Israeli woman who was kidnapped from the Nova music festival by Hamas militants on October 7 has been declared dead, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said.
“We are devastated to share that the body of 23 year old German-Israeli Shani (Louk) was found and identified,” the ministry posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday.
A source involved with her identification told CNN Louk’s death was announced after forensic examiners found a bone fragment from her skull.
The bone fragment was from the petrous part of the temporal bone, which is at the base of the skull, normally near the carotid artery, a major blood vessel that provides blood to the brain. A DNA test concluded the fragment belonged to Louk.
Louk was attending the festival in southern Israel earlier this month when Hamas breached the border between Gaza and Israel.
Louk was kidnapped at the festival and “tortured and paraded around Gaza by Hamas terrorists,” the foreign ministry statement said, adding that she “experienced unfathomable horrors.”
“May her memory be a blessing,” the statement said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made clear on Monday that Israel would not agree to a ceasefire in Gaza, drawing parallels to the United States’ position after Pearl Harbor in 1941 and the September 11 attacks in 2001.
“I want to make clear Israel's position regarding the ceasefire. Just as the United States would not agree to a ceasefire after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, or after the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Israel will not agree to a cessation of hostilities with Hamas after the horrific attacks of October 7,” he said.
“Calls for a ceasefire or calls for Israel to surrender to Hamas, to surrender to terrorists, surrender to barbarism, that will not happen,” he added.
Netanyahu said while the Bible says there is a time for peace, he said “This is a time for war.”
When asked if he has considered stepping down, Netanyahu said the only thing he would resign is Hamas.
“We're going to resign them to the dustbin of history. That's my goal. That's my responsibility,” he said.
Meanwhile, a Hamas spokesperson said Monday that Israel was not successful in entering Gaza "except in some limited areas" and described the humanitarian situation in the enclave as "disastrous."
