"Fauda" star Idan Amedi wounded while fighting for Israeli forces in Gaza
From CNN's Lauren Izso, Tim Lister, Ido Soen and Jessie Yeung
A top Israeli actor, best known for his role as a special forces soldier in hit Netflix series “Fauda,” has been badly wounded in Gaza while fighting for Israel’s military against Hamas, according to his family and the hospital where he is being treated.
Idan Amedi, 35, is in critical condition in the ICU at Sheba Tel Hashomer Medical Center near Tel Aviv, a spokesperson for the hospital said.
However, the star’s father told Israeli website Walla!: “There is no danger to his life.”
Amedi, who is of Kurdish descent, shot to fame in the 2010s as a singer-songwriter before joining the cast of “Fauda” in 2017. He plays a member of an Israeli special forces unit in the series, which follows an Israeli agent who comes out of retirement to hunt for a Palestinian fighter he thought he’d killed, according to the show’s official Netflix page.
Amedi had volunteered to fight for the Israeli military in Gaza following Hamas’ October 7 attacks on Israel, according to “Fauda” co-creators Lior Raz and Avi Issacharaoff.
“Idan is a true hero and from the first day of the war he decided to put everything aside and go fight. First in the north and then in the south [of Gaza],” they told Walla!
Blinken presses Israel on protecting Gaza civilians in Tel Aviv talks. Here's the latest
From CNN staff
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomes US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during his official visit to Tel Aviv on Tuesday, January 9. Kobi Gideon/Anadolu/Getty Images
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top Israeli officials in Tel Aviv on Tuesday.
The top US diplomat said he had arrived in Israel at "an incredibly challenging time” after making stops in countries around the Middle East.
During his meetings, Blinken reiterated the importance of avoiding further civilian harm and "protecting civilian infrastructure in Gaza" at a time when global health organizations are warning about the enclave's collapsing health care sector.
Blinken made clear to Israel that Palestinians must be allowed to return to their homes in Gaza "as soon as conditions allow" and must not be displaced from the strip, he said. And in some of his most direct comments on the matter, Blinken said Netanyahu must rein in the far-right tendencies of his government to achieve any progress in the future.
Here's what else to know:
On the ground: Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital reported receiving dozens of casualties from several parts of central Gaza due to heavy overnight airstrikes. Some of the heaviest combat is in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, where there is fighting on the ground as well as regular airstrikes. The World Health Organization stressed that it "cannot afford" to lose the remaining operational hospitals in southern Gaza. The Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health in Gaza said Tuesday that in the previous 24 hours, a total of 126 people had been killed and 241 injured.
Hostages latest: Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz told Blinken his nation’s military needs to “finish the war” with Hamas to secure the return of Israeli hostages and achieve the “security of our people.” But Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas' political leader, reiterated the group's stance that it will only release Israeli hostages after all Palestinian prisoners are freed from Israel's prisons.
Regional diplomacy: King Abdullah II of Jordan will hold a three-way summit on Wednesday with Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to discuss efforts to coordinate a ceasefire in Gaza. Blinken — who met with Netanyahu after meetings with leaders in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Jordan — said Israel must move toward a two-state solution if it wants the help of Arab partners in the region with lasting security.
Red Sea attacks: The US Navy shot down 21 Houthi missiles and drones launched from Yemen, according to a statement from US Central Command, in one of the largest Houthi attacks to take place in the Red Sea in recent months. The military called it a “complex attack” by the Iran-backed militants.
Hezbollah tensions: Israel's military said it killed a regional commander of Hezbollah’s air force, Ali Hussein Burji, on Tuesday. Hezbollah confirmed his death but denied Burji was in charge of its air force or drone program. During meetings with top officials, Blinken said the US and Israel believe "a diplomatic path is the best way to achieve" security on Israel's northern border. Tensions have ramped up after Israel killed a senior commander in southern Lebanon on Monday. Last week, a senior Hamas official was killed in Beirut in a strike that Israel has not claimed.
Genocide allegations: Israel is set to appear before the International Court of Justice this week in a high stakes case that could determine the course of the brutal war in Gaza. South Africa brought the case against Israel, accusing it of being in breach of its obligations under the UN's Genocide Convention in its war on Hamas. Israel has rejected the accusation.
37 min ago
US Navy shoots down Houthi missiles and drones launched from Yemen over Red Sea, officials say
From CNN's Oren Liebermann
Houthi fighters attack a cargo ship in the Red Sea coast off Hudaydah, Yemen on November 20, 2023. Houthi Movement/Getty Images
The US Navy shot down 21 Houthi missiles and drones launched from Yemen, according to a statement from US Central Command, in one of the largest Houthi attacks to take place in the Red Sea in recent months.
The military called it a “complex attack” carried out by the Iran-backed militants.
The barrage, launched at about 9:15 p.m. Tuesday in Yemen, included 18 one-way attack drones, two anti-ship cruise missiles and one anti-ship ballistic missile, Central Command said.
The attack was launched toward international shipping lanes in the southern Red Sea where “dozens” of merchant vessels were traveling, according to the statement.
Two defense officials had earlier told CNN that the barrage included a total of 24 drones and missiles.
There were no ships damaged in the attacks and no injuries as a result of the massive drone and missile launch, CENTCOM said.
Palestinians must be allowed to return to homes in Gaza, Blinken tells Israel
From CNN's Jennifer Hansler
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made clear to the Israeli government that Palestinians must be allowed to return to their homes in Gaza “as soon as conditions allow” and must not be displaced from the strip, the top US diplomat said Tuesday.
Blinken announced that the Israeli government had agreed to a plan to allow a United Nations assessment mission to northern Gaza as the Israeli offensive there shifts to a new phase.
“It will determine what needs to be done to allow displaced Palestinians to return safely to homes in the north,” Blinken said at a news conference in Tel Aviv.
In a day of talks with top Israeli officials, Blinken said he reaffirmed US support for Israel “ensuring that October 7 can never happen again,” while also calling on the government to do more to mitigate civilian casualties. He also discussed the efforts to secure the release of hostages who remain held by Hamas.
Blinken has made five visits to Israel since the October 7 Hamas attacks as the Biden administration sought to keep pressure on the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“It’s our unique bond and America’s enduring commitment to the people of Israel that allows, indeed demands, that we’re as forthright as possible in the moments when the stakes are highest, when the choices matter the most. This is one of those moments,” he said Tuesday.
Indeed, the stakes of the secretary’s latest visit couldn’t be higher as concerns mount over the war spilling out into the wider region and the humanitarian toll continues to grow. Tens of thousands of people have been killed in the Israeli offensive, millions have been displaced, and the entire population in the war-torn strip faces the risk of famine, the UN has warned. US officials have publicly acknowledged that gaps remain between Israel’s “intentions” and “results” when it comes to the staggering toll on civilians.
Israel says it killed regional commander of Hezbollah’s air forces in drone strike
From CNN’s Amir Tal, Amy Cassidy, Charbel Mallo and Tamara Qiblawi
Israel's military said it has killed a regional commander of Hezbollah’s air force, who it claimed was responsible for an attack on an Israeli command center earlier Tuesday.
In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces said Ali Hussein Burji commanded the Southern Lebanon Region of Hezbollah's Aerial Unit and “led dozens of terror activities against Israel using explosive UAVs and surveillance UAVs against Israel and IDF soldiers."
“Before his elimination, a launch cell belonging to Hezbollah's Aerial Unit which was on its way to launch explosive UAVs toward different locations in Israel was eliminated,” the statement said.
IDF spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said in his regular news conference on Tuesday, “we eliminated him [Burji] in a drone.”
Hezbollah also announced Burji’s death on its social media channels but denied he was in charge of its drone program or air force.
"Hezbollah’s press office vehemently denies these false and completely baseless claims and confirms that the mujahid brother who is responsible for Hezbollah’s drones has not been subjected to an assassination attempt," Hezbollah said in a statement late on Tuesday.
1 hr 22 min ago
Blinken says Israel must move toward two-state solution if it wants Arab help on lasting security
From CNN's Jennifer Hansler
Antony Blinken attends a news conference in Tel Aviv on January 9. Evelyn Hockstein/AP
The Israeli government must move toward a two-state solution if it wants the help of Arab partners in the region with lasting security, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at a news conference in Tel Aviv on Tuesday.
In some of his most direct comments on the matter, Blinken noted that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must rein in the far-right tendencies of his government to achieve any progress in the future.
"Israel must stop taking steps that undercut Palestinians' ability to govern themselves effectively. Extremists settler violence carried out with impunity, settlement expansion, demolitions, evictions all make it harder — not easier — for Israel to achieve lasting peace and security," he said. "Israel must be a partner to Palestinian leaders who are willing to lead their people in living side by side in peace with Israel and as neighbors."
The top US diplomat met with Netanyahu following meetings with leaders in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Jordan.
"As I told the prime minister, every partner that I met on this trip said that they're ready to support a lasting solution that ends the long-running cycle of violence and ensures Israel's security. But they underscored that this can only come through a regional approach that includes a pathway to a Palestinian state," Blinken said.
"If Israel wants its Arab neighbors to make the tough decisions necessary to help ensure lasting security, Israeli leaders will have to make hard decisions themselves."
3 hr 52 min ago
WHO warns it "cannot afford" to lose hospitals in southern Gaza
From CNN's Niamh Kennedy
The World Health Organization has stressed that it "cannot afford" to lose the remaining operational hospitals in southern Gaza, warning the enclave's health care sector is collapsing at a "rapid pace."
As Israeli calls for evacuations continue to push people to the south of the strip, WHO said it has strained the region's already stretched facilities. The region's hospitals are now "bursting with patients" and internally displaced people, WHO Emergency Medical Team Coordinator Sean Casey told a news briefing Tuesday.
Only 13 of 36 hospitals in Gaza are partially functioning, and bed occupancy is at 351%, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah.
Casey, who has carried out a number of WHO missions to hospitals in Gaza, described the "intensification of hostilities" around the European Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis as "really worrying."
"We cannot lose the health facilities. They absolutely must be protected. This is the last line of secondary tertiary health care that Gaza has from the north to the south," Casey stressed.
Richard Peeperkorn, a WHO representative in the occupied Palestinian Territory, also told the briefing: "We cannot afford to lose any hospital."
2 hr 57 min ago
Israel faces a genocide case in international court this week. Could it halt the war in Gaza?
From CNN's Abbas Al Lawati
Palestinians evacuate the area following an Israeli airstrike on the Sousi mosque in Gaza on October 9. Mahmud Hams/AFP/Getty Images
Israel is set to appear before the International Court of Justice this week in a high-stakes case that could determine the course of the brutal war in Gaza.
It is an unprecedented case. Experts say it is the first time the Jewish state is being tried under the United Nations’ Genocide Convention, which was drawn up after World War II in light of the atrocities committed against the Jewish people during the Holocaust.
The South African government, a successor to the apartheid regime that was made a pariah on the international stage three decades ago, brought the case against Israel, accusing it of being in breach of its obligations under the convention in its war on Hamas in Gaza.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said on Tuesday his country will present a case “using self-defense” to show it is doing its “utmost” under “extremely complicated circumstances” to avert civilian casualties in Gaza.
Eliav Lieblich, a professor of international law at Tel Aviv University, told CNN the case is significant politically and legally.
“An allegation of genocide is the gravest international legal allegation that can be made against a state,” he said.
US Secretary of StateAntony Blinken made clear to Israel that Palestinians must be allowed to return to their homes in Gaza "as soon as conditions allow" and must not be displaced from the enclave, the top US diplomat said in Tel Aviv.
The US Navy shot down a barrage of Houthi missiles and drones launched from Yemen in what the military called a "complex attack" by the Iran-backed militants.
Israel is set to appear before the International Court of Justice on Thursday in a high-stakes case that could determine the course of the brutal war in Gaza.
A top Israeli actor, best known for his role as a special forces soldier in hit Netflix series “Fauda,” has been badly wounded in Gaza while fighting for Israel’s military against Hamas, according to his family and the hospital where he is being treated.
Idan Amedi, 35, is in critical condition in the ICU at Sheba Tel Hashomer Medical Center near Tel Aviv, a spokesperson for the hospital said.
However, the star’s father told Israeli website Walla!: “There is no danger to his life.”
Amedi, who is of Kurdish descent, shot to fame in the 2010s as a singer-songwriter before joining the cast of “Fauda” in 2017. He plays a member of an Israeli special forces unit in the series, which follows an Israeli agent who comes out of retirement to hunt for a Palestinian fighter he thought he’d killed, according to the show’s official Netflix page.
Amedi had volunteered to fight for the Israeli military in Gaza following Hamas’ October 7 attacks on Israel, according to “Fauda” co-creators Lior Raz and Avi Issacharaoff.
“Idan is a true hero and from the first day of the war he decided to put everything aside and go fight. First in the north and then in the south [of Gaza],” they told Walla!
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomes US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during his official visit to Tel Aviv on Tuesday, January 9. Kobi Gideon/Anadolu/Getty Images
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top Israeli officials in Tel Aviv on Tuesday.
The top US diplomat said he had arrived in Israel at "an incredibly challenging time” after making stops in countries around the Middle East.
During his meetings, Blinken reiterated the importance of avoiding further civilian harm and "protecting civilian infrastructure in Gaza" at a time when global health organizations are warning about the enclave's collapsing health care sector.
Blinken made clear to Israel that Palestinians must be allowed to return to their homes in Gaza "as soon as conditions allow" and must not be displaced from the strip, he said. And in some of his most direct comments on the matter, Blinken said Netanyahu must rein in the far-right tendencies of his government to achieve any progress in the future.
Here's what else to know:
On the ground: Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital reported receiving dozens of casualties from several parts of central Gaza due to heavy overnight airstrikes. Some of the heaviest combat is in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, where there is fighting on the ground as well as regular airstrikes. The World Health Organization stressed that it "cannot afford" to lose the remaining operational hospitals in southern Gaza. The Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health in Gaza said Tuesday that in the previous 24 hours, a total of 126 people had been killed and 241 injured.
Hostages latest: Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz told Blinken his nation’s military needs to “finish the war” with Hamas to secure the return of Israeli hostages and achieve the “security of our people.” But Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas' political leader, reiterated the group's stance that it will only release Israeli hostages after all Palestinian prisoners are freed from Israel's prisons.
Regional diplomacy: King Abdullah II of Jordan will hold a three-way summit on Wednesday with Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to discuss efforts to coordinate a ceasefire in Gaza. Blinken — who met with Netanyahu after meetings with leaders in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Jordan — said Israel must move toward a two-state solution if it wants the help of Arab partners in the region with lasting security.
Red Sea attacks: The US Navy shot down 21 Houthi missiles and drones launched from Yemen, according to a statement from US Central Command, in one of the largest Houthi attacks to take place in the Red Sea in recent months. The military called it a “complex attack” by the Iran-backed militants.
Hezbollah tensions: Israel's military said it killed a regional commander of Hezbollah’s air force, Ali Hussein Burji, on Tuesday. Hezbollah confirmed his death but denied Burji was in charge of its air force or drone program. During meetings with top officials, Blinken said the US and Israel believe "a diplomatic path is the best way to achieve" security on Israel's northern border. Tensions have ramped up after Israel killed a senior commander in southern Lebanon on Monday. Last week, a senior Hamas official was killed in Beirut in a strike that Israel has not claimed.
Genocide allegations: Israel is set to appear before the International Court of Justice this week in a high stakes case that could determine the course of the brutal war in Gaza. South Africa brought the case against Israel, accusing it of being in breach of its obligations under the UN's Genocide Convention in its war on Hamas. Israel has rejected the accusation.
Houthi fighters attack a cargo ship in the Red Sea coast off Hudaydah, Yemen on November 20, 2023. Houthi Movement/Getty Images
The US Navy shot down 21 Houthi missiles and drones launched from Yemen, according to a statement from US Central Command, in one of the largest Houthi attacks to take place in the Red Sea in recent months.
The military called it a “complex attack” carried out by the Iran-backed militants.
The barrage, launched at about 9:15 p.m. Tuesday in Yemen, included 18 one-way attack drones, two anti-ship cruise missiles and one anti-ship ballistic missile, Central Command said.
The attack was launched toward international shipping lanes in the southern Red Sea where “dozens” of merchant vessels were traveling, according to the statement.
Two defense officials had earlier told CNN that the barrage included a total of 24 drones and missiles.
There were no ships damaged in the attacks and no injuries as a result of the massive drone and missile launch, CENTCOM said.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made clear to the Israeli government that Palestinians must be allowed to return to their homes in Gaza “as soon as conditions allow” and must not be displaced from the strip, the top US diplomat said Tuesday.
Blinken announced that the Israeli government had agreed to a plan to allow a United Nations assessment mission to northern Gaza as the Israeli offensive there shifts to a new phase.
“It will determine what needs to be done to allow displaced Palestinians to return safely to homes in the north,” Blinken said at a news conference in Tel Aviv.
In a day of talks with top Israeli officials, Blinken said he reaffirmed US support for Israel “ensuring that October 7 can never happen again,” while also calling on the government to do more to mitigate civilian casualties. He also discussed the efforts to secure the release of hostages who remain held by Hamas.
Blinken has made five visits to Israel since the October 7 Hamas attacks as the Biden administration sought to keep pressure on the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“It’s our unique bond and America’s enduring commitment to the people of Israel that allows, indeed demands, that we’re as forthright as possible in the moments when the stakes are highest, when the choices matter the most. This is one of those moments,” he said Tuesday.
Indeed, the stakes of the secretary’s latest visit couldn’t be higher as concerns mount over the war spilling out into the wider region and the humanitarian toll continues to grow. Tens of thousands of people have been killed in the Israeli offensive, millions have been displaced, and the entire population in the war-torn strip faces the risk of famine, the UN has warned. US officials have publicly acknowledged that gaps remain between Israel’s “intentions” and “results” when it comes to the staggering toll on civilians.
Israel's military said it has killed a regional commander of Hezbollah’s air force, who it claimed was responsible for an attack on an Israeli command center earlier Tuesday.
In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces said Ali Hussein Burji commanded the Southern Lebanon Region of Hezbollah's Aerial Unit and “led dozens of terror activities against Israel using explosive UAVs and surveillance UAVs against Israel and IDF soldiers."
“Before his elimination, a launch cell belonging to Hezbollah's Aerial Unit which was on its way to launch explosive UAVs toward different locations in Israel was eliminated,” the statement said.
IDF spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said in his regular news conference on Tuesday, “we eliminated him [Burji] in a drone.”
Hezbollah also announced Burji’s death on its social media channels but denied he was in charge of its drone program or air force.
"Hezbollah’s press office vehemently denies these false and completely baseless claims and confirms that the mujahid brother who is responsible for Hezbollah’s drones has not been subjected to an assassination attempt," Hezbollah said in a statement late on Tuesday.
Antony Blinken attends a news conference in Tel Aviv on January 9. Evelyn Hockstein/AP
The Israeli government must move toward a two-state solution if it wants the help of Arab partners in the region with lasting security, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at a news conference in Tel Aviv on Tuesday.
In some of his most direct comments on the matter, Blinken noted that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must rein in the far-right tendencies of his government to achieve any progress in the future.
"Israel must stop taking steps that undercut Palestinians' ability to govern themselves effectively. Extremists settler violence carried out with impunity, settlement expansion, demolitions, evictions all make it harder — not easier — for Israel to achieve lasting peace and security," he said. "Israel must be a partner to Palestinian leaders who are willing to lead their people in living side by side in peace with Israel and as neighbors."
The top US diplomat met with Netanyahu following meetings with leaders in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Jordan.
"As I told the prime minister, every partner that I met on this trip said that they're ready to support a lasting solution that ends the long-running cycle of violence and ensures Israel's security. But they underscored that this can only come through a regional approach that includes a pathway to a Palestinian state," Blinken said.
"If Israel wants its Arab neighbors to make the tough decisions necessary to help ensure lasting security, Israeli leaders will have to make hard decisions themselves."
The World Health Organization has stressed that it "cannot afford" to lose the remaining operational hospitals in southern Gaza, warning the enclave's health care sector is collapsing at a "rapid pace."
As Israeli calls for evacuations continue to push people to the south of the strip, WHO said it has strained the region's already stretched facilities. The region's hospitals are now "bursting with patients" and internally displaced people, WHO Emergency Medical Team Coordinator Sean Casey told a news briefing Tuesday.
Only 13 of 36 hospitals in Gaza are partially functioning, and bed occupancy is at 351%, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah.
Casey, who has carried out a number of WHO missions to hospitals in Gaza, described the "intensification of hostilities" around the European Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis as "really worrying."
"We cannot lose the health facilities. They absolutely must be protected. This is the last line of secondary tertiary health care that Gaza has from the north to the south," Casey stressed.
Richard Peeperkorn, a WHO representative in the occupied Palestinian Territory, also told the briefing: "We cannot afford to lose any hospital."
Palestinians evacuate the area following an Israeli airstrike on the Sousi mosque in Gaza on October 9. Mahmud Hams/AFP/Getty Images
Israel is set to appear before the International Court of Justice this week in a high-stakes case that could determine the course of the brutal war in Gaza.
It is an unprecedented case. Experts say it is the first time the Jewish state is being tried under the United Nations’ Genocide Convention, which was drawn up after World War II in light of the atrocities committed against the Jewish people during the Holocaust.
The South African government, a successor to the apartheid regime that was made a pariah on the international stage three decades ago, brought the case against Israel, accusing it of being in breach of its obligations under the convention in its war on Hamas in Gaza.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said on Tuesday his country will present a case “using self-defense” to show it is doing its “utmost” under “extremely complicated circumstances” to avert civilian casualties in Gaza.
Eliav Lieblich, a professor of international law at Tel Aviv University, told CNN the case is significant politically and legally.
“An allegation of genocide is the gravest international legal allegation that can be made against a state,” he said.
