Humanitarian crisis worsens in Gaza as Israel-Hamas war rages
By Chris Lau, CNN
Updated 12:17 a.m. ET, December 27, 2023
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1 min ago
Veteran Dutch diplomat Sigrid Kaag tasked with getting more aid to Gaza
From CNN's David Shortell
Sigrid Kaag attends an event in Utrecht, Netherlands on March 27. P van Katwijk/Getty Images
Sigrid Kaag, a Dutch politician and veteran United Nations diplomat, will take charge of the international body’s effort to bring humanitarian relief to war-ravaged Gaza, the UN Secretary General announced Tuesday, filling a position created this month in a breakthrough UN Security Council resolution.
In a post on X, Kaag said she would resign her position as finance minister and deputy prime minister of the Netherlands to take on the role of UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza.
“Peace, security, and justice have always been my motivations,” Kaag said in a statement. “I have accepted this special assignment in the hope to contribute to a better future.”
The appointment, which is set to take effect on January 8, comes as conditions in the besieged Palestinian enclave reach “nightmare” levels, as the chief of the World Health Organization put it after a recent visit. Shortages of power and medicine have stripped hospitals of most functioning, and the risk of famine looms over Gaza’s population, humanitarian organizations have said.
Since war began on October 7 following Hamas’ terror attacks, Israel has allowed a limited number of trucks to bring humanitarian aid into Gaza through Egypt’s Rafah crossing. The UN has described this amount as a trickle that fails to come close to meeting the needs of the population of over 2 million.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has also accused Israel’s tactics in Gaza, which include intensive aerial bombardment, of “creating massive obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian aid inside the strip.
Kaag will now be responsible for creating a mechanism to accelerate the movement of aid into Gaza and for “facilitating, coordinating, monitoring, and verifying” the relief effort, according to the UN, including the complex process of ensuring aid trucks are screened before they enter the enclave to ensure they’re not carrying non-humanitarian material.
The Security Council resolution creating the position, which called for immediate, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance throughout Gaza, passed last week with the abstention of the US after several days of negotiations and delays.
Israel says it's in a "multi-arena war" as it warns of long fight ahead. Catch up on the latest
From CNN staff
A Israeli army convoy moves near the Israel-Gaza border, in southern Israel, on December 25. Leo Correa/AP
Israel is in a “multi-arena war,” with the country being attacked from multiple directions, defense minister Yoav Gallant said Tuesday. He warned of a long fight ahead, and said anyone who acts against Israel is "a potential target."
His comments follow Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks Monday that the war is far from over, after the Israeli leader visited Gaza for the second time since October 7.
On the diplomatic front, a close confidant of Netanyahu met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan Tuesday as the White House has looked for Israel to move away from the high intensity war it has waged in Gaza.
A senior Israeli official told CNN that while there are differences between the US and Israel over the war, both countries want to see the end of Hamas.
Here are other key developments you should know:
On the ground: The Israel Defense Forces is using its ground, air, and naval troops to strike at what it says are "terror targets" in Gaza, according to a statement Tuesday. It comes as the death toll in Gaza reached 20,915, with nearly 55,000 others wounded, the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry in the strip said Tuesday. Some 241 people were killed and 382 people injured over the past 24 hours, it said. CNN cannot independently verify the numbers released by the ministry in Gaza, as access to the enclave is limited and reliable numbers are hard to confirm amid the fighting.
WHO warnings: World Health Organization officials visited Al-Aqsa Hospital in central Gaza Monday, where scores of people are being treated, including many from reported airstrikes on the Al-Maghazi refugee camp. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the hospital is above capacity and warned that "many will not survive the wait." In an op-ed published Tuesday, Tedros again called for a ceasefire in Gaza. "Without peace, there is no health, and without health there can be no peace," he said.
Communications down: Telephone and internet services are fully down in Gaza, three Palestinian internet providers said Tuesday. Internet monitoring site Netblocks told CNN on Wednesday that the network data indicated a new collapse in connectivity in the strip.
Diplomatic efforts: Qatar's Emir discussed developments in Gaza in a phone call with US President Joe Biden. The leaders emphasized the significance of joint mediation efforts “to calm the situation and reach a permanent ceasefire,” Qatari state news agency QNA reported. A White House readout said the leaders spoke about efforts to "secure the release of all remaining hostages held by Hamas." Meanwhile, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad have rejected a plan proposed by Egypt to end the war in Gaza, Reuters reported on Monday, citing two Egyptian security sources.
New role: Sigrid Kaag, a Dutch politician and veteran UN diplomat, will take charge of the international body’s effort to bring humanitarian relief to Gaza, the UN Secretary General announced Tuesday, filling a position created this month in a breakthrough UN Security Council resolution. Here's what we know about the seasoned diplomat.
Regional fallout: The US Navy intercepted a barrage of drones and missiles fired by the Houthis over the Red Sea from Yemen during a 10-hour period Tuesday, according to US Central Command. A spokesperson for Houthi forces said on X that the launches were in "continued support and solidarity with the Palestinian people." And the Indian navy has deployed three guided missile destroyers in the Arabian Sea as a deterrent after a chemical tanker was struck off the Indian coast on Saturday, India’s NDTV reported.
24 min ago
Senior US officials wrap meeting with Netanyahu confidant on Israel-Hamas war
From CNN's Priscilla Alvarez
Ron Dermer walks into the Executive Office Building in Washington, DC on December 26. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images
An hours-long meeting between senior Biden administration officials and a close confidant of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the next phase of the Israel-Hamas conflict wrapped on Tuesday evening.
Ron Dermer, a member of Israel’s war cabinet and a former ambassador to the United States, departed the White House after more than four hours following a meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.
A White House official told CNN the discussions included:
The transition to a different phase of the war to maximize focus on high-value Hamas targets.
Steps to improve the humanitarian situation and minimize harm to civilians.
Securing the release of the remaining hostages.
Planning for post-conflict Gaza.
US officials have looked for Israel to move away from the high intensity war it has waged for nearly three months in Gaza that has resulted in more than 20,000 people killed.
The White House told reporters last week that Israel had assured the US it would transition to operations of lower intensity, although the administration would not put a specific timeline on the move.
Some context: A senior Israeli official told CNN on Tuesday that while there are differences between the US and Israel over Israel's war with Hamas, both countries want to see the end of the militant group.
“We can have different discussions on this tactical issue or that tactical issue. We listen very attentively to whatever Washington says, and I believe they listen very carefully to whatever we say to them,” said Mark Regev,a senior adviser to Netanyahu. “But ultimately, we’re on the same side of this. We want to see Hamas destroyed.”
19 min ago
Qatar's Emir and Biden discuss joint mediation for Gaza ceasefire, report says
From CNN's Hamdi Alkhshali and Samantha Waldenberg
The Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in Doha on November 29. Bernd von Jutrczenka/picture alliance/Getty Images
The Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, discussed developments in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories in a phone call with US President Joe Biden, Qatari state news agency QNA reported.
According to the statement, the leaders emphasized the significance of joint mediation efforts "to calm the situation and reach a permanent ceasefire."
The White House noted in a readout of the call that the leaders spoke about efforts to "secure the release of all remaining hostages held by Hamas, including American citizens."
"The leaders also discussed the ongoing efforts to facilitate increased and sustained flows of life-saving access to humanitarian aid into Gaza," the White House readout said.
Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad have rejected a plan proposed by Egypt to end the war in Gaza, Reuters reported on Monday, citing two Egyptian security sources.
Two officials from Hamas and Islamic Jihad denied the information the Egyptian sources provided, Reuters reported.
Egypt’s proposal would see the release of all Israeli hostages and Palestinians prisoners and, ultimately, the relinquishment of Hamas’ power and "the establishment of a technocratic government in Gaza," CNN political and foreign policy analyst Barak Ravid reported.
CNN has not independently obtained a copy of the plan.
Reuters reported that Egyptian sources said Hamas and Islamic Jihad "rejected offering any concessions beyond the possible release of more hostages seized on Oct. 7."
Izzat Al-Rishq, a member of Hamas' political bureau, said in a statement that Hamas did not have information about the Reuters report.
"We reiterate that there can be no negotiations without a comprehensive cessation of aggression," Al-Rishq said in a statement. "Hamas leadership seeks a permanent cessation to the aggression and massacres against our people. Our people want to see this aggression completely halted, and do not want to wait for a temporary or partial truce for a short period, after which the aggression and terrorism might fatally continue."
CNN has reached out to Egyptian officials for comment on the reported plan.
22 min ago
Intense fighting in Gaza as death toll rises
From CNN’s Ibrahim Dahman and Eyad Kourdi
Smoke rises following an Israeli bombardment in Gaza, as seen from southern Israel, on December 26. Leo Correa/AP
The Israel Defense Forces is using its ground, air, and naval troops to strike at what it says are "terror targets" in the Gaza Strip, according to a statement from the military on Tuesday.
“As part of assistance to the ground troops, dozens of IDF fighter jets struck over 100 Hamas terror targets, including tunnel shafts, infrastructure, and military sites used by the terrorist organization to attack IDF troops,” it said.
The statement comes as Ron Dermer, considered one of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s closest confidants, is meeting with officials from the White House and the State Department Tuesday to discuss the next phase of the war in Gaza. The US has looked for Israel to move away from the high-intensity war it has waged for nearly three months in Gaza.
More than 20,900 people in Gaza have been killed and 55,000 injured since October 7, according to the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health in Gaza.
CNN cannot independently verify the numbers released by the ministry in Gaza, as access to the enclave is limited and reliable numbers are hard to confirm amid the fighting.
21 min ago
Israel is in a "multi-arena war," defense minister says
From CNN's Amir Tal
Yoav Gallant speaks during a press conference in Tel Aviv on December 18. Alberto Pizzoli/AFP/Getty Images
Israel’s defense minister has said the country is in a “multi-arena war,” as it faces attacks from seven different arenas.
Yoav Gallant, speaking to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee in the Israeli parliament, warned of a long fight ahead for the country.
"We are in a multi-arena war, we are being attacked from seven different sectors: Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Judea and Samaria, Iraq, Yemen and Iran," said Gallant, using the biblical names — Judea and Samaria — for the West Bank. "We have already responded and acted in six of these decrees, and I say here in the most explicit way: Anyone who acts against us is a potential target, there is no immunity for anyone."
Gallant's comments follow Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks Monday that the war is far from over, after the Israeli leader visited Gaza for the second time since October 7.
3 hr 26 min ago
Israel and US are "on the same side" in war despite their differences, official says
From CNN's Priscilla Alvarez
A senior Israeli official told CNN that while there are differences between the US and Israel over Israel's war with Hamas, both countries want to see the end of the militant group.
“We can have different discussions on this tactical issue or that tactical issue. We listen very attentively to whatever Washington says, and I believe they listen very carefully to whatever we say to them,” said Mark Regev,a senior adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “But ultimately, we’re on the same side of this. We want to see Hamas destroyed.”
Ron Dermer, considered one of Netanyahu’s closest confidants, met with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Tuesday for “face-to-face consultations on a number of matters related to the conflict in Gaza and the return of hostages held by Hamas,” National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said.
The meetings come as the US has looked for Israel to move away from the high-intensity war it has waged for nearly three months in Gaza.
Regev said “it’s only a matter of time” before Israel has victory in northern Gaza, arguing that reconstruction in the enclave can’t happen until Hamas is eliminated.
A Netanyahu ally met with senior US officials Tuesday to discuss the transition to a new phase of the war to maximize focus on high-value Hamas targets, a White House official told CNN. They also spoke about steps to improve the humanitarian situation, hostages, and plans for post-war Gaza.
World Health Organization officials visited several hospitals across Gaza, detailing "harrowing accounts" of suffering shared by health workers and patients. More than 20,000 people have been killed since the conflict began in early October, according to the Hamas-controlled health ministry.
Three Palestinian internet providers said Tuesday that communications and internet in Gaza are fully down and crews are working to restore the services.
Sigrid Kaag attends an event in Utrecht, Netherlands on March 27. P van Katwijk/Getty Images
Sigrid Kaag, a Dutch politician and veteran United Nations diplomat, will take charge of the international body’s effort to bring humanitarian relief to war-ravaged Gaza, the UN Secretary General announced Tuesday, filling a position created this month in a breakthrough UN Security Council resolution.
In a post on X, Kaag said she would resign her position as finance minister and deputy prime minister of the Netherlands to take on the role of UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza.
“Peace, security, and justice have always been my motivations,” Kaag said in a statement. “I have accepted this special assignment in the hope to contribute to a better future.”
The appointment, which is set to take effect on January 8, comes as conditions in the besieged Palestinian enclave reach “nightmare” levels, as the chief of the World Health Organization put it after a recent visit. Shortages of power and medicine have stripped hospitals of most functioning, and the risk of famine looms over Gaza’s population, humanitarian organizations have said.
Since war began on October 7 following Hamas’ terror attacks, Israel has allowed a limited number of trucks to bring humanitarian aid into Gaza through Egypt’s Rafah crossing. The UN has described this amount as a trickle that fails to come close to meeting the needs of the population of over 2 million.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has also accused Israel’s tactics in Gaza, which include intensive aerial bombardment, of “creating massive obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian aid inside the strip.
Kaag will now be responsible for creating a mechanism to accelerate the movement of aid into Gaza and for “facilitating, coordinating, monitoring, and verifying” the relief effort, according to the UN, including the complex process of ensuring aid trucks are screened before they enter the enclave to ensure they’re not carrying non-humanitarian material.
The Security Council resolution creating the position, which called for immediate, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance throughout Gaza, passed last week with the abstention of the US after several days of negotiations and delays.
A Israeli army convoy moves near the Israel-Gaza border, in southern Israel, on December 25. Leo Correa/AP
Israel is in a “multi-arena war,” with the country being attacked from multiple directions, defense minister Yoav Gallant said Tuesday. He warned of a long fight ahead, and said anyone who acts against Israel is "a potential target."
His comments follow Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks Monday that the war is far from over, after the Israeli leader visited Gaza for the second time since October 7.
On the diplomatic front, a close confidant of Netanyahu met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan Tuesday as the White House has looked for Israel to move away from the high intensity war it has waged in Gaza.
A senior Israeli official told CNN that while there are differences between the US and Israel over the war, both countries want to see the end of Hamas.
Here are other key developments you should know:
On the ground: The Israel Defense Forces is using its ground, air, and naval troops to strike at what it says are "terror targets" in Gaza, according to a statement Tuesday. It comes as the death toll in Gaza reached 20,915, with nearly 55,000 others wounded, the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry in the strip said Tuesday. Some 241 people were killed and 382 people injured over the past 24 hours, it said. CNN cannot independently verify the numbers released by the ministry in Gaza, as access to the enclave is limited and reliable numbers are hard to confirm amid the fighting.
WHO warnings: World Health Organization officials visited Al-Aqsa Hospital in central Gaza Monday, where scores of people are being treated, including many from reported airstrikes on the Al-Maghazi refugee camp. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the hospital is above capacity and warned that "many will not survive the wait." In an op-ed published Tuesday, Tedros again called for a ceasefire in Gaza. "Without peace, there is no health, and without health there can be no peace," he said.
Communications down: Telephone and internet services are fully down in Gaza, three Palestinian internet providers said Tuesday. Internet monitoring site Netblocks told CNN on Wednesday that the network data indicated a new collapse in connectivity in the strip.
Diplomatic efforts: Qatar's Emir discussed developments in Gaza in a phone call with US President Joe Biden. The leaders emphasized the significance of joint mediation efforts “to calm the situation and reach a permanent ceasefire,” Qatari state news agency QNA reported. A White House readout said the leaders spoke about efforts to "secure the release of all remaining hostages held by Hamas." Meanwhile, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad have rejected a plan proposed by Egypt to end the war in Gaza, Reuters reported on Monday, citing two Egyptian security sources.
New role: Sigrid Kaag, a Dutch politician and veteran UN diplomat, will take charge of the international body’s effort to bring humanitarian relief to Gaza, the UN Secretary General announced Tuesday, filling a position created this month in a breakthrough UN Security Council resolution. Here's what we know about the seasoned diplomat.
Regional fallout: The US Navy intercepted a barrage of drones and missiles fired by the Houthis over the Red Sea from Yemen during a 10-hour period Tuesday, according to US Central Command. A spokesperson for Houthi forces said on X that the launches were in "continued support and solidarity with the Palestinian people." And the Indian navy has deployed three guided missile destroyers in the Arabian Sea as a deterrent after a chemical tanker was struck off the Indian coast on Saturday, India’s NDTV reported.
Ron Dermer walks into the Executive Office Building in Washington, DC on December 26. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images
An hours-long meeting between senior Biden administration officials and a close confidant of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the next phase of the Israel-Hamas conflict wrapped on Tuesday evening.
Ron Dermer, a member of Israel’s war cabinet and a former ambassador to the United States, departed the White House after more than four hours following a meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.
A White House official told CNN the discussions included:
The transition to a different phase of the war to maximize focus on high-value Hamas targets.
Steps to improve the humanitarian situation and minimize harm to civilians.
Securing the release of the remaining hostages.
Planning for post-conflict Gaza.
US officials have looked for Israel to move away from the high intensity war it has waged for nearly three months in Gaza that has resulted in more than 20,000 people killed.
The White House told reporters last week that Israel had assured the US it would transition to operations of lower intensity, although the administration would not put a specific timeline on the move.
Some context: A senior Israeli official told CNN on Tuesday that while there are differences between the US and Israel over Israel's war with Hamas, both countries want to see the end of the militant group.
“We can have different discussions on this tactical issue or that tactical issue. We listen very attentively to whatever Washington says, and I believe they listen very carefully to whatever we say to them,” said Mark Regev,a senior adviser to Netanyahu. “But ultimately, we’re on the same side of this. We want to see Hamas destroyed.”
The Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in Doha on November 29. Bernd von Jutrczenka/picture alliance/Getty Images
The Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, discussed developments in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories in a phone call with US President Joe Biden, Qatari state news agency QNA reported.
According to the statement, the leaders emphasized the significance of joint mediation efforts "to calm the situation and reach a permanent ceasefire."
The White House noted in a readout of the call that the leaders spoke about efforts to "secure the release of all remaining hostages held by Hamas, including American citizens."
"The leaders also discussed the ongoing efforts to facilitate increased and sustained flows of life-saving access to humanitarian aid into Gaza," the White House readout said.
Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad have rejected a plan proposed by Egypt to end the war in Gaza, Reuters reported on Monday, citing two Egyptian security sources.
Two officials from Hamas and Islamic Jihad denied the information the Egyptian sources provided, Reuters reported.
Egypt’s proposal would see the release of all Israeli hostages and Palestinians prisoners and, ultimately, the relinquishment of Hamas’ power and "the establishment of a technocratic government in Gaza," CNN political and foreign policy analyst Barak Ravid reported.
CNN has not independently obtained a copy of the plan.
Reuters reported that Egyptian sources said Hamas and Islamic Jihad "rejected offering any concessions beyond the possible release of more hostages seized on Oct. 7."
Izzat Al-Rishq, a member of Hamas' political bureau, said in a statement that Hamas did not have information about the Reuters report.
"We reiterate that there can be no negotiations without a comprehensive cessation of aggression," Al-Rishq said in a statement. "Hamas leadership seeks a permanent cessation to the aggression and massacres against our people. Our people want to see this aggression completely halted, and do not want to wait for a temporary or partial truce for a short period, after which the aggression and terrorism might fatally continue."
CNN has reached out to Egyptian officials for comment on the reported plan.
Smoke rises following an Israeli bombardment in Gaza, as seen from southern Israel, on December 26. Leo Correa/AP
The Israel Defense Forces is using its ground, air, and naval troops to strike at what it says are "terror targets" in the Gaza Strip, according to a statement from the military on Tuesday.
“As part of assistance to the ground troops, dozens of IDF fighter jets struck over 100 Hamas terror targets, including tunnel shafts, infrastructure, and military sites used by the terrorist organization to attack IDF troops,” it said.
The statement comes as Ron Dermer, considered one of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s closest confidants, is meeting with officials from the White House and the State Department Tuesday to discuss the next phase of the war in Gaza. The US has looked for Israel to move away from the high-intensity war it has waged for nearly three months in Gaza.
More than 20,900 people in Gaza have been killed and 55,000 injured since October 7, according to the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health in Gaza.
CNN cannot independently verify the numbers released by the ministry in Gaza, as access to the enclave is limited and reliable numbers are hard to confirm amid the fighting.
Yoav Gallant speaks during a press conference in Tel Aviv on December 18. Alberto Pizzoli/AFP/Getty Images
Israel’s defense minister has said the country is in a “multi-arena war,” as it faces attacks from seven different arenas.
Yoav Gallant, speaking to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee in the Israeli parliament, warned of a long fight ahead for the country.
"We are in a multi-arena war, we are being attacked from seven different sectors: Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Judea and Samaria, Iraq, Yemen and Iran," said Gallant, using the biblical names — Judea and Samaria — for the West Bank. "We have already responded and acted in six of these decrees, and I say here in the most explicit way: Anyone who acts against us is a potential target, there is no immunity for anyone."
Gallant's comments follow Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks Monday that the war is far from over, after the Israeli leader visited Gaza for the second time since October 7.
A senior Israeli official told CNN that while there are differences between the US and Israel over Israel's war with Hamas, both countries want to see the end of the militant group.
“We can have different discussions on this tactical issue or that tactical issue. We listen very attentively to whatever Washington says, and I believe they listen very carefully to whatever we say to them,” said Mark Regev,a senior adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “But ultimately, we’re on the same side of this. We want to see Hamas destroyed.”
Ron Dermer, considered one of Netanyahu’s closest confidants, met with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Tuesday for “face-to-face consultations on a number of matters related to the conflict in Gaza and the return of hostages held by Hamas,” National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said.
The meetings come as the US has looked for Israel to move away from the high-intensity war it has waged for nearly three months in Gaza.
Regev said “it’s only a matter of time” before Israel has victory in northern Gaza, arguing that reconstruction in the enclave can’t happen until Hamas is eliminated.
