Blinken in Israel for high-stakes talks as Hamas sends "positive" reply to hostage proposal. Catch up here
From CNN staff
Antony Blinken arrives at Ben Gurion International airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, late Tuesday, on February 6. Mark Schiefelbein/AP
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Israel for high-stakes talks with top officials about a proposal for a sustained cessation in Gaza fighting in exchange for Hamas' release of hostages held since October 7.
Hamas gave a “positive” reply to the proposal, according to Qatar's prime minister, but he offered few details.
Hamas’ long-awaited counteroffer to a hostage and truce framework is “reasonable,” a source familiar with the discussions told CNN. It does not include two of its most prominent and public demands: that Israeli soldiers leave Gaza or for a deal to end the war.
Here's what else to know today:
Gaza conflict: Fighting between Israel and Hamas is ongoing across multiple parts of the enclave, with operations in Khan Younis and "targeted raids in the northern and central Gaza Strip," the Israeli military said. Journalists working for CNN in Gaza reported that Israeli fire, including the shelling of an apartment block, caused multiple casualties across the territory since Monday, as well as intensive bombardment of the Al-Rimal neighborhood in Gaza City.
Trapped in Rafah: In the south, displaced Palestinians crowded into tents in Rafah are waiting with dread for an anticipated Israeli ground assault on the city — with nowhere left to flee once troops move in. Aid workers have raised concerns over any expanded military operation, where satellite images show a makeshift tent city estimated to house more than 1 million civilians displaced by the war.
Houthi arms: Iran has provided the Houthis with a "diverse arsenal" of weapons, including short- and medium-range ballistic missiles and cruise missiles, since 2015, according to a new report by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). Shipments interdicted by the US have contained ballistic missile components, drones, anti-tank guided missiles and thousands of assault rifles, the report said.
Israeli funding rejected: The US House of Representatives failed to pass a funding bill that would have provided $17.6 billion in security assistance for Israel and humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. US President Joe Biden said those who oppose a Senate border bill are “denying aid” to Palestinian people who are “really suffering.”
Senior commander killed: One of the "most prominent leaders" of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades was killed, along with 13 of his family members, in an Israeli airstrike in central Gaza over the weekend, the Palestinian militant coalition said. Issam Khattab “Abu Mazen” was killed at his family's home, it said.
Crossing protests: The Kerem Shalom crossing, where aid is checked before it enters Gaza, was again blocked by Israeli protesters — despite the area becoming a designated military zone. Israel says 100 aid trucks were able to enter the territory before protesters arrived on Tuesday.
Hospital siege: The Hamas-run Ministry of Health in Gaza has accused the Israeli military of tightening a siege of the Nasser medical complex and putting the lives of 300 medical personnel, 450 wounded, and 10,000 displaced people at risk. In late January, Nasser Hospital was the largest functioning hospital in Gaza, according to Doctors Without Borders. It's adjacent to the main route for people trying to flee Khan Younis for somewhat safer areas along the coast.
1 hr 53 min ago
Houthis fire missiles at cargo ships in Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, US military says
From CNN's Rashard Rose
Iran-backed Houthi militants on Tuesday fired six anti-ship ballistic missiles from Yemen toward commercial vessels, US Central Command said.
One missile exploded in the Gulf of Aden near the MV Star Nasia, causing minor damage to the Marshall Island-flagged, Greek carrier, CENTCOM said. No injuries were reported.
Other Houthi missile attacks likely targeting MV Morning Tide, a Barbados-flagged, UK-owned cargo ship operating in the southern Red Sea, "impacted the water near the ship without effect," CENTCOM said.
In a statement Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Houthis vowed the militants would increase their attacks on US and UK ships if Israel's war in Gaza does not stop.
3 hr 26 min ago
Saudi Arabia says it will have no diplomatic relations with Israel without an independent Palestinian state
From CNN's Hamdi Alkhshali
Saudi Arabia will have no diplomatic relations with Israel without the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, Riyadh said on Wednesday.
“The Kingdom has communicated its firm position to the US administration that there will be no diplomatic relations with Israel unless an independent Palestinian state is recognized on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital," the Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Another condition would be that, "Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip stops and all Israeli occupation forces withdraw from the Gaza Strip," the statement said.
Some context: Most Arab and Islamic states don’t recognize Israel and the demand for the establishment of a Palestinian state is a long-held Saudi position.
But just weeks before Hamas launched its October 7 attack on Israel, Riyadh said it was inching closer to normalizing diplomatic ties with the Jewish state. Experts say the price that Saudi would demand in exchange for normalization would be higher now than before the Gaza war, as Riyadh may feel compelled to extract more concessions from the United States and Israel.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday that Saudi still has a “strong interest” in normalizing relations with Israel.
3 hr 25 min ago
Pentagon reports 146 US casualties in Iran-backed attacks in Iraq, Syria and Jordan since October
From CNN's Haley Britzky
There have been 146 US casualties — the majority of which have been determined to be non-serious injuries — in the ongoing attacks by Iran-backed groups in Iraq, Syria and Jordan since October 18 of last year, according to a Pentagon spokesperson.
"Of those 146 casualties, three were killed in action, two sustained very serious injuries, nine had serious injuries, and 132 had non-serious injuries," Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Pete Nguyen said Tuesday.
As of Tuesday, there have been at least 168 attacks on US and coalition forces since October 17 — the majority of which have occurred in Iraq and Syria.
Three US soldiers were killed in the only attack in Jordan at the end of January.
3 hr 27 min ago
Hamas' response to hostage deal proposal is "reasonable," source says
From CNN's Alex Marquardt
Hamas’ long-awaited counteroffer to a hostage and truce framework is “reasonable,” a source familiar with the discussions told CNN. It does not include two of its most prominent and public demands: that Israeli soldiers leave Gaza or for a deal to end the war.
Top US diplomat Antony Blinken, who is in the Middle East to meet with leaders of multiple nations, responded positively after hearing Hamas' proposal, the source said, which Blinken later echoed in a press conference.
In a statement last week, senior Hamas leader Ismael Hanniyeh said "the review of the new proposal for a ceasefire is based on the basis that any negotiations lead to a complete end to the aggression.”
The next hurdle, as Blinken indicated in his comments to reporters, will be presenting the Hamas counteroffer to the Israeli government.
Prime Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed repeatedly that Israel's war will not end until there is "complete victory" over Hamas, which includes killing Hamas leadership and "will take time — months not years."
3 hr 28 min ago
US House of Representatives fails to pass standalone package for $17.6 billion in Israel aid
From CNN's Manu Raju, Melanie Zanona, Haley Talbot and Samantha Waldenberg
The US House of Representatives failed to pass a standalone funding bill that would have provided $17.6 billion to Israel, after a late shift by members on both sides of the aisle to sink the bill.
Because of resistance among members of the right-flank House Freedom Caucus, House Speaker Mike Johnson was forced to bring up the bill under a procedure that requires 2/3 majority of the House — including at least 72 Democrats — to approve it.
That support did not come, defeating the measure by a 250-180 vote.
“I would like to inform the media that we have received a reply from Hamas with regards to the general framework of the agreement with regard to hostages,” Al Thani said at a press conference alongside US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Doha. “The reply includes some comments, but in general it is positive. However, given the sensitivity of the circumstances, we will not tackle details. “We are optimistic, and we have delivered the response to the Israeli party.”
The United States is reviewing the response from Hamas, Blinken said, adding that he would discuss it with Israeli officials on Wednesday.
Some context: The framework of the proposal was agreed to by negotiators in Paris at the end of last month. CNN previously reported that it would call for a first phase of civilian hostage releases to take place over a six-week pause, with three Palestinian prisoners held by Israel released for each civilian hostage returned from Gaza. That ratio would be expected to go up for Israel Defense Forces soldiers and a longer pause is possible beyond the six weeks for the later phases.
Blinken discusses hostages and humanitarian pause with Qataris and Egyptians
From CNN's Jennifer Hansler
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani discussed “ongoing efforts to secure the release of the hostages held by Hamas and enable an extended humanitarian pause in the conflict in Gaza” in their meeting in Doha Tuesday.
The Qataris have served as a key mediator in the negotiations with Hamas, to whom a proposal to reach those aims was submitted more than a week ago. The group has not yet provided a substantive response to that proposal.
“Secretary Blinken and the Amir agreed to continue close coordination to increase humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza and to urge the protection of civilians consistent with humanitarian law,” a readout from State Department spokesperson Matt Miller said. “The Secretary reiterated the U.S. rejection of any forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza and underscored the U.S. commitment to establishing durable peace in the Middle East, including the establishment of a Palestinian state that ensures security for Israelis and Palestinians alike.”
Prior to his meeting with the Emir, Blinken was in Cairo for discussions with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and other top Egyptian officials on the same matters. The Egyptians are the other key interlocutors with Hamas.
According to a readout from the Egyptian President’s office, “the meeting focused on developments in unyielding efforts aimed at reaching a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, exchanging detainees and hostages and providing access to desperately needed relief aid to end the severe humanitarian catastrophe in the sector.”
In Gaza, aid workers have raised concerns over any expanded Israeli military operation south toward Rafah, where satellite images show a makeshift tent city estimated to house more than 1 million civilians displaced by the war.
Israel's defense minister said Hamas' leadership is "on the run." A Hamas spokesperson said the fighters were "still operating in all areas" of the enclave.
In Yemen, the Iran-backed Houthi militia vowed to increase attacks on US and UK ships in the Red Sea if the war in Gaza does not stop.
Antony Blinken arrives at Ben Gurion International airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, late Tuesday, on February 6. Mark Schiefelbein/AP
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Israel for high-stakes talks with top officials about a proposal for a sustained cessation in Gaza fighting in exchange for Hamas' release of hostages held since October 7.
Hamas gave a “positive” reply to the proposal, according to Qatar's prime minister, but he offered few details.
Hamas’ long-awaited counteroffer to a hostage and truce framework is “reasonable,” a source familiar with the discussions told CNN. It does not include two of its most prominent and public demands: that Israeli soldiers leave Gaza or for a deal to end the war.
Here's what else to know today:
Gaza conflict: Fighting between Israel and Hamas is ongoing across multiple parts of the enclave, with operations in Khan Younis and "targeted raids in the northern and central Gaza Strip," the Israeli military said. Journalists working for CNN in Gaza reported that Israeli fire, including the shelling of an apartment block, caused multiple casualties across the territory since Monday, as well as intensive bombardment of the Al-Rimal neighborhood in Gaza City.
Trapped in Rafah: In the south, displaced Palestinians crowded into tents in Rafah are waiting with dread for an anticipated Israeli ground assault on the city — with nowhere left to flee once troops move in. Aid workers have raised concerns over any expanded military operation, where satellite images show a makeshift tent city estimated to house more than 1 million civilians displaced by the war.
Houthi arms: Iran has provided the Houthis with a "diverse arsenal" of weapons, including short- and medium-range ballistic missiles and cruise missiles, since 2015, according to a new report by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). Shipments interdicted by the US have contained ballistic missile components, drones, anti-tank guided missiles and thousands of assault rifles, the report said.
Israeli funding rejected: The US House of Representatives failed to pass a funding bill that would have provided $17.6 billion in security assistance for Israel and humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. US President Joe Biden said those who oppose a Senate border bill are “denying aid” to Palestinian people who are “really suffering.”
Senior commander killed: One of the "most prominent leaders" of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades was killed, along with 13 of his family members, in an Israeli airstrike in central Gaza over the weekend, the Palestinian militant coalition said. Issam Khattab “Abu Mazen” was killed at his family's home, it said.
Crossing protests: The Kerem Shalom crossing, where aid is checked before it enters Gaza, was again blocked by Israeli protesters — despite the area becoming a designated military zone. Israel says 100 aid trucks were able to enter the territory before protesters arrived on Tuesday.
Hospital siege: The Hamas-run Ministry of Health in Gaza has accused the Israeli military of tightening a siege of the Nasser medical complex and putting the lives of 300 medical personnel, 450 wounded, and 10,000 displaced people at risk. In late January, Nasser Hospital was the largest functioning hospital in Gaza, according to Doctors Without Borders. It's adjacent to the main route for people trying to flee Khan Younis for somewhat safer areas along the coast.
Iran-backed Houthi militants on Tuesday fired six anti-ship ballistic missiles from Yemen toward commercial vessels, US Central Command said.
One missile exploded in the Gulf of Aden near the MV Star Nasia, causing minor damage to the Marshall Island-flagged, Greek carrier, CENTCOM said. No injuries were reported.
Other Houthi missile attacks likely targeting MV Morning Tide, a Barbados-flagged, UK-owned cargo ship operating in the southern Red Sea, "impacted the water near the ship without effect," CENTCOM said.
In a statement Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Houthis vowed the militants would increase their attacks on US and UK ships if Israel's war in Gaza does not stop.
Saudi Arabia will have no diplomatic relations with Israel without the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, Riyadh said on Wednesday.
“The Kingdom has communicated its firm position to the US administration that there will be no diplomatic relations with Israel unless an independent Palestinian state is recognized on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital," the Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Another condition would be that, "Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip stops and all Israeli occupation forces withdraw from the Gaza Strip," the statement said.
Some context: Most Arab and Islamic states don’t recognize Israel and the demand for the establishment of a Palestinian state is a long-held Saudi position.
But just weeks before Hamas launched its October 7 attack on Israel, Riyadh said it was inching closer to normalizing diplomatic ties with the Jewish state. Experts say the price that Saudi would demand in exchange for normalization would be higher now than before the Gaza war, as Riyadh may feel compelled to extract more concessions from the United States and Israel.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday that Saudi still has a “strong interest” in normalizing relations with Israel.
There have been 146 US casualties — the majority of which have been determined to be non-serious injuries — in the ongoing attacks by Iran-backed groups in Iraq, Syria and Jordan since October 18 of last year, according to a Pentagon spokesperson.
"Of those 146 casualties, three were killed in action, two sustained very serious injuries, nine had serious injuries, and 132 had non-serious injuries," Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Pete Nguyen said Tuesday.
As of Tuesday, there have been at least 168 attacks on US and coalition forces since October 17 — the majority of which have occurred in Iraq and Syria.
Three US soldiers were killed in the only attack in Jordan at the end of January.
Hamas’ long-awaited counteroffer to a hostage and truce framework is “reasonable,” a source familiar with the discussions told CNN. It does not include two of its most prominent and public demands: that Israeli soldiers leave Gaza or for a deal to end the war.
Top US diplomat Antony Blinken, who is in the Middle East to meet with leaders of multiple nations, responded positively after hearing Hamas' proposal, the source said, which Blinken later echoed in a press conference.
In a statement last week, senior Hamas leader Ismael Hanniyeh said "the review of the new proposal for a ceasefire is based on the basis that any negotiations lead to a complete end to the aggression.”
The next hurdle, as Blinken indicated in his comments to reporters, will be presenting the Hamas counteroffer to the Israeli government.
Prime Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed repeatedly that Israel's war will not end until there is "complete victory" over Hamas, which includes killing Hamas leadership and "will take time — months not years."
The US House of Representatives failed to pass a standalone funding bill that would have provided $17.6 billion to Israel, after a late shift by members on both sides of the aisle to sink the bill.
Because of resistance among members of the right-flank House Freedom Caucus, House Speaker Mike Johnson was forced to bring up the bill under a procedure that requires 2/3 majority of the House — including at least 72 Democrats — to approve it.
That support did not come, defeating the measure by a 250-180 vote.
“I would like to inform the media that we have received a reply from Hamas with regards to the general framework of the agreement with regard to hostages,” Al Thani said at a press conference alongside US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Doha. “The reply includes some comments, but in general it is positive. However, given the sensitivity of the circumstances, we will not tackle details. “We are optimistic, and we have delivered the response to the Israeli party.”
The United States is reviewing the response from Hamas, Blinken said, adding that he would discuss it with Israeli officials on Wednesday.
Some context: The framework of the proposal was agreed to by negotiators in Paris at the end of last month. CNN previously reported that it would call for a first phase of civilian hostage releases to take place over a six-week pause, with three Palestinian prisoners held by Israel released for each civilian hostage returned from Gaza. That ratio would be expected to go up for Israel Defense Forces soldiers and a longer pause is possible beyond the six weeks for the later phases.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani discussed “ongoing efforts to secure the release of the hostages held by Hamas and enable an extended humanitarian pause in the conflict in Gaza” in their meeting in Doha Tuesday.
The Qataris have served as a key mediator in the negotiations with Hamas, to whom a proposal to reach those aims was submitted more than a week ago. The group has not yet provided a substantive response to that proposal.
“Secretary Blinken and the Amir agreed to continue close coordination to increase humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza and to urge the protection of civilians consistent with humanitarian law,” a readout from State Department spokesperson Matt Miller said. “The Secretary reiterated the U.S. rejection of any forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza and underscored the U.S. commitment to establishing durable peace in the Middle East, including the establishment of a Palestinian state that ensures security for Israelis and Palestinians alike.”
Prior to his meeting with the Emir, Blinken was in Cairo for discussions with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and other top Egyptian officials on the same matters. The Egyptians are the other key interlocutors with Hamas.
According to a readout from the Egyptian President’s office, “the meeting focused on developments in unyielding efforts aimed at reaching a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, exchanging detainees and hostages and providing access to desperately needed relief aid to end the severe humanitarian catastrophe in the sector.”
