Israeli troops close in on Gaza hospital as displaced civilians flee. Here's what to know
From CNN staff
Israeli forces are moving toward the largest hospital in Khan Younis, prompting patients and sheltering Gazans to flee, according to international doctors working there and local journalists capturing events on camera.
"The hospital is shaking and there is panic," an American doctor said in a voice note sent to CNN from the Al Nasser hospital, in which the sound of gunfire could be heard in the background.
Earlier, the Israeli military said Hamas had recently carried out a launch toward Israel from within the hospital compound. Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of exploiting civilians as human shields by using hospitals and nearby areas as military sites.
It comes after Israel's defense minister said the intensive stage of its military offensive in Gaza will "end soon," and as the UN relief chief warned Israel's war has brought famine to the strip with "such incredible speed."
Catch up on the latest updates:
Child deaths: At least 10,600 children have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since October 7, the Hamas-run Ministry of Health said Tuesday. The overall death toll of 24,285 also includes 7,200 women and 1,049 elderly people, the ministry said. CNN cannot independently confirm its figures.
Hostages killed: Two Israeli men held hostage in Gaza since October 7 and featured in recent videos released by Hamas have died, according to their home village. Kibbutz Be’eri announced the deaths of Yossi Sharabi and Itai Svirsky in separate statements. Israel has accused Hamas of using "psychological torment" by releasing videos of hostages.
Medicine deal: Qatar said it has brokered a deal between Israel and Hamas that will see medicines delivered to Israeli hostages in Gaza in exchange for the delivery of medicine and humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians. Relatives of the more than 100 remaining hostages believed to be alive in Gaza have been calling for medications to be passed on to their loved ones.
Hamas attacks: Around 25 rockets were fired into southern Israel from Gaza on Tuesday, the IDF told CNN. Most were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system and no injuries were reported. One of the largest Hamas attacks in weeks, the barrage showed the group is still capable of firing rockets into Israel. It also comes as the IDF said one of its army divisions exited the enclave Monday.
Iranian strikes: Meanwhile, Pakistan on Tuesday strongly condemned an Iranian airstrike inside its borders that killed two children, calling it an “unprovoked violation of its airspace” and warning of retaliation amid spiraling regional tensions.
1 min ago
Displaced civilians flee Khan Younis hospital as Israeli forces move in, doctors and journalists say
From CNN's Kareem Khadder, Abeer Salman, Alex Marquardt and Hamdi Alkhshali
Israeli forces are moving toward the largest hospital in Khan Younis, prompting patients and sheltering Gazans to flee, according to international doctors working there and local journalists capturing events on camera.
Multiple videos show dozens of people carrying blankets, mattresses and other personal belongings leaving the Al Nasser hospital compound in southern Gaza.
Women can be seen carrying children in their arms, while one man carries a boy on his shoulders. The sounds of bombardment and small arms fire can be heard in the background.
Several videos show nearby explosions, likely from airstrikes.
An American doctor, Thaer Ahmad, one of a team of US and British doctors from NGO MedGlobal working at the hospital, told CNN the Israeli military was getting closer.
"The hospital is shaking and there is panic," said Ahmad in a voice note sent to CNN, in which the sound of gunfire could be heard in the background. "So many of the (internally displaced people) around the hospital have begun walking on foot away from the hospital."
Earlier Tuesday, the Israeli military said Hamas had recently carried out a launch toward Israel from within the Al Nasser Hospital compound. Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of exploiting civilians as human shields by using hospitals and nearby areas as military sites.
1 hr 22 min ago
Kibbutz announces deaths of 2 Israeli hostages held in Gaza since October 7
From CNN's Radina Gigova and Lauren Iszo
From left, Hamas hostages Yossi Sharabi and Itai Svirsky are seen on a Hamas video released on January 14. EyePress/Reuters
Two Israeli men held hostage in Gaza since October 7 and featured in recent videos released by Hamas have died, according to statements from their home village Tuesday.
Kibbutz Be’eri announced the deaths of Yossi Sharabi and Itai Svirsky in separate statements released with the Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum headquarters.
Sharabi, 53, was "a loving and devoted father and husband, a real family man with a big heart," the statement said.
Sharabi's brother Eli was also kidnapped from his home in Kibbutz Be'eri and is still held captive by Hamas.
In a separate statement, Kibbutz Be’eri announced the death of Svirsky.
"Our hearts go out to the family in their immense pain," the kibbutz said. "May his memory be a blessing."
Both men's bodies are being held by Hamas, the kibbutz said.
CNN's Andrew Carey, Amir Tal and Ivana Kottasová contributed to this report.
3 hr 54 min ago
Israel and Hamas agree deal on medicine for hostages, aid to Gaza, Qatar says
From CNN's Tara John and Eyad Kourdi
Qatar says it has brokered a deal between Israel and Hamas that will see medicines delivered to Israeli hostages in Gaza in exchange for the delivery of medicine and humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians.
“Medicine along with other humanitarian aid is to be delivered to civilians in the Gaza Strip, in the most affected and vulnerable areas, in exchange for delivering medication needed for Israeli captives in Gaza,” the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday in a statement posted on X.
The medications and aid will leave Doha on Wednesday and head to Egypt before being transported to Gaza, the ministry added. It is unclear when the medicines are expected to reach Gaza.
Relatives of the more than 100 remaining hostages believed to be alive in Gaza have been calling for medications to be passed on to their loved ones.
White House expected to re-classify the Houthis as a global terrorist entity
From CNN's Jennifer Hansler
The Biden administration is expected to re-classify the Yemeni militant group, the Houthis, as a global terrorist entity amid continued attacks in the Red Sea, a source familiar told CNN on Tuesday.
At the time, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the decision to remove the group’s designations was driven by concerns that it could imperil the ability to deliver crucial assistance to the people of Yemen.
He said it was "a recognition of the dire humanitarian situation in Yemen."
Both the designations trigger an asset freeze, but only an FTO designation imposes immigration restrictions on members, according to the State Department.
The SDGT designation also does not impose sanctions on those who provide "material support" to the group.
As of Tuesday, the administration was not re-imposing the FTO designation.
Pressure has grown on the administration to reimpose the designations as the Iranian-backed militia carries out attacks on vessels in the Red Sea.
More than 10,000 children have been killed in Gaza since October 7, Hamas-run health ministry says
From CNN’s Ibrahim Dahman and Eyad Kourdi
A Palestinian woman and children check debris following Israeli bombardment in Rafah, southern Gaza, on December 22, 2023. Mohammed Abed/AFP/Getty Images/File
At least 10,600 children have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since October 7, the Hamas-run Ministry of Health said on Tuesday.
“The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli aggression has exceeded 24,285, of which 75% are children, women, and elderly people (+10,600 children, 7,200 women, and 1,049 elderly people),” the ministry said.
At least 158 people were killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza in the past 24 hours, and 320 others were wounded, the Hamas-run Ministry of Health added Tuesday.
“A number of victims are still under the rubble and on the roads, and ambulance and civil defense crews cannot reach them,” the ministry said.
CNN cannot independently verify the ministry's figures.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed on Sunday that more than 9,000 of those killed were Hamas fighters. CNN also cannot confirm this figure.
1 hr 43 min ago
Saudi Arabia could recognize Israel if Palestinian issue is resolved, foreign minister says
From CNN’s Celine Alkhaldi in Abu Dhabi
Saudi Arabia is willing to recognize Israel if the Palestinian issue is resolved, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan said Tuesday.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, he said the first step to resolving the Palestinian issue is through a ceasefire "on all sides."
“We agree that regional peace includes peace for Israel but that could only happen through peace for the Palestinians through a Palestinian state,” bin Farhan said.
Asked at a panel at the WEF whether Saudi Arabia could, within that context, agree to recognize Israel as part of a wider agreement, the Saudi foreign minister said “certainly.”
Some context:In 2020, four Arab nations, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan, recognized Israel under a set of treaties known as the Abraham Accords, sidestepping the longstanding Arab demand for a Palestinian state.
Since then, the Biden administration has been working to bring Saudi Arabia, widely regarded as the leader of the Muslim world, to follow suit, a move that could have opened the door to other Muslim countries to recognize Israel.
1 hr 9 min ago
"Intensive" phase of war in Gaza is nearly over, Israeli defense minister says
From CNN's Radina Gigova and Ivana Kottasová in London and Amir Tal in Tel Aviv
This picture taken on January 6, 2024, shows Gaza City's landmark Al-Hassaina Mosque, damaged in Israeli bombardment. AFP/Getty Images
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Monday said the "intensive maneuvering stage" of Israel's military offensive in northern and southern Gaza will "end soon."
The Israeli military is working to "eliminate pockets of resistance" in northern Gaza, Gallant said, adding: "We will achieve this via raids, airstrikes, special operations and additional activities."
After the October 7 attacks, Gallant said the original plan was for the "intensive maneuvering stage" of Israel's military campaign in Gaza to last approximately three months. But, he cautioned the Israeli military adapts its operations "in accordance with the reality on the ground" and "our intelligence."
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has announced one of its army divisions had exited Gaza on Monday night, in the most significant sign yet of a shift to a new phase of fighting that some Israeli officials have been promising.
The IDF said its 36th division, which comprises armored, engineering, and infantry companies, withdrew from the strip after 80 days.
The brigade operated in the areas of Zeitun, Shati, Shejaiya, Rimal, and the Central Camps, the Israeli military added. The IDF did not respond to CNN’s questions about whether the withdrawal was temporary, what was behind the withdrawal, or how many troops it involved.
Israeli forces are moving toward a key hospital in southern Gaza, prompting patients and sheltering civilians to flee. "The hospital is shaking and there is panic," an American doctor told CNN from the Al Nasser hospital in Khan Younis.
Qatar said it has brokered a deal between Israel and Hamas that will see medicines delivered to Israeli hostages in Gaza in exchange for the delivery of aid to Palestinian civilians.
At least 10,600 children have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since October 7, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said. And the UN emergency relief chief warned Israel's war has brought famine with "such incredible speed."
Israeli forces are moving toward the largest hospital in Khan Younis, prompting patients and sheltering Gazans to flee, according to international doctors working there and local journalists capturing events on camera.
"The hospital is shaking and there is panic," an American doctor said in a voice note sent to CNN from the Al Nasser hospital, in which the sound of gunfire could be heard in the background.
Earlier, the Israeli military said Hamas had recently carried out a launch toward Israel from within the hospital compound. Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of exploiting civilians as human shields by using hospitals and nearby areas as military sites.
It comes after Israel's defense minister said the intensive stage of its military offensive in Gaza will "end soon," and as the UN relief chief warned Israel's war has brought famine to the strip with "such incredible speed."
Catch up on the latest updates:
Child deaths: At least 10,600 children have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since October 7, the Hamas-run Ministry of Health said Tuesday. The overall death toll of 24,285 also includes 7,200 women and 1,049 elderly people, the ministry said. CNN cannot independently confirm its figures.
Hostages killed: Two Israeli men held hostage in Gaza since October 7 and featured in recent videos released by Hamas have died, according to their home village. Kibbutz Be’eri announced the deaths of Yossi Sharabi and Itai Svirsky in separate statements. Israel has accused Hamas of using "psychological torment" by releasing videos of hostages.
Medicine deal: Qatar said it has brokered a deal between Israel and Hamas that will see medicines delivered to Israeli hostages in Gaza in exchange for the delivery of medicine and humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians. Relatives of the more than 100 remaining hostages believed to be alive in Gaza have been calling for medications to be passed on to their loved ones.
Hamas attacks: Around 25 rockets were fired into southern Israel from Gaza on Tuesday, the IDF told CNN. Most were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system and no injuries were reported. One of the largest Hamas attacks in weeks, the barrage showed the group is still capable of firing rockets into Israel. It also comes as the IDF said one of its army divisions exited the enclave Monday.
Iranian strikes: Meanwhile, Pakistan on Tuesday strongly condemned an Iranian airstrike inside its borders that killed two children, calling it an “unprovoked violation of its airspace” and warning of retaliation amid spiraling regional tensions.
Israeli forces are moving toward the largest hospital in Khan Younis, prompting patients and sheltering Gazans to flee, according to international doctors working there and local journalists capturing events on camera.
Multiple videos show dozens of people carrying blankets, mattresses and other personal belongings leaving the Al Nasser hospital compound in southern Gaza.
Women can be seen carrying children in their arms, while one man carries a boy on his shoulders. The sounds of bombardment and small arms fire can be heard in the background.
Several videos show nearby explosions, likely from airstrikes.
An American doctor, Thaer Ahmad, one of a team of US and British doctors from NGO MedGlobal working at the hospital, told CNN the Israeli military was getting closer.
"The hospital is shaking and there is panic," said Ahmad in a voice note sent to CNN, in which the sound of gunfire could be heard in the background. "So many of the (internally displaced people) around the hospital have begun walking on foot away from the hospital."
Earlier Tuesday, the Israeli military said Hamas had recently carried out a launch toward Israel from within the Al Nasser Hospital compound. Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of exploiting civilians as human shields by using hospitals and nearby areas as military sites.
From left, Hamas hostages Yossi Sharabi and Itai Svirsky are seen on a Hamas video released on January 14. EyePress/Reuters
Two Israeli men held hostage in Gaza since October 7 and featured in recent videos released by Hamas have died, according to statements from their home village Tuesday.
Kibbutz Be’eri announced the deaths of Yossi Sharabi and Itai Svirsky in separate statements released with the Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum headquarters.
Sharabi, 53, was "a loving and devoted father and husband, a real family man with a big heart," the statement said.
Sharabi's brother Eli was also kidnapped from his home in Kibbutz Be'eri and is still held captive by Hamas.
In a separate statement, Kibbutz Be’eri announced the death of Svirsky.
"Our hearts go out to the family in their immense pain," the kibbutz said. "May his memory be a blessing."
Both men's bodies are being held by Hamas, the kibbutz said.
CNN's Andrew Carey, Amir Tal and Ivana Kottasová contributed to this report.
Qatar says it has brokered a deal between Israel and Hamas that will see medicines delivered to Israeli hostages in Gaza in exchange for the delivery of medicine and humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians.
“Medicine along with other humanitarian aid is to be delivered to civilians in the Gaza Strip, in the most affected and vulnerable areas, in exchange for delivering medication needed for Israeli captives in Gaza,” the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday in a statement posted on X.
The medications and aid will leave Doha on Wednesday and head to Egypt before being transported to Gaza, the ministry added. It is unclear when the medicines are expected to reach Gaza.
Relatives of the more than 100 remaining hostages believed to be alive in Gaza have been calling for medications to be passed on to their loved ones.
The Biden administration is expected to re-classify the Yemeni militant group, the Houthis, as a global terrorist entity amid continued attacks in the Red Sea, a source familiar told CNN on Tuesday.
At the time, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the decision to remove the group’s designations was driven by concerns that it could imperil the ability to deliver crucial assistance to the people of Yemen.
He said it was "a recognition of the dire humanitarian situation in Yemen."
Both the designations trigger an asset freeze, but only an FTO designation imposes immigration restrictions on members, according to the State Department.
The SDGT designation also does not impose sanctions on those who provide "material support" to the group.
As of Tuesday, the administration was not re-imposing the FTO designation.
Pressure has grown on the administration to reimpose the designations as the Iranian-backed militia carries out attacks on vessels in the Red Sea.
A Palestinian woman and children check debris following Israeli bombardment in Rafah, southern Gaza, on December 22, 2023. Mohammed Abed/AFP/Getty Images/File
At least 10,600 children have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since October 7, the Hamas-run Ministry of Health said on Tuesday.
“The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli aggression has exceeded 24,285, of which 75% are children, women, and elderly people (+10,600 children, 7,200 women, and 1,049 elderly people),” the ministry said.
At least 158 people were killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza in the past 24 hours, and 320 others were wounded, the Hamas-run Ministry of Health added Tuesday.
“A number of victims are still under the rubble and on the roads, and ambulance and civil defense crews cannot reach them,” the ministry said.
CNN cannot independently verify the ministry's figures.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed on Sunday that more than 9,000 of those killed were Hamas fighters. CNN also cannot confirm this figure.
Saudi Arabia is willing to recognize Israel if the Palestinian issue is resolved, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan said Tuesday.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, he said the first step to resolving the Palestinian issue is through a ceasefire "on all sides."
“We agree that regional peace includes peace for Israel but that could only happen through peace for the Palestinians through a Palestinian state,” bin Farhan said.
Asked at a panel at the WEF whether Saudi Arabia could, within that context, agree to recognize Israel as part of a wider agreement, the Saudi foreign minister said “certainly.”
Some context:In 2020, four Arab nations, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan, recognized Israel under a set of treaties known as the Abraham Accords, sidestepping the longstanding Arab demand for a Palestinian state.
Since then, the Biden administration has been working to bring Saudi Arabia, widely regarded as the leader of the Muslim world, to follow suit, a move that could have opened the door to other Muslim countries to recognize Israel.
This picture taken on January 6, 2024, shows Gaza City's landmark Al-Hassaina Mosque, damaged in Israeli bombardment. AFP/Getty Images
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Monday said the "intensive maneuvering stage" of Israel's military offensive in northern and southern Gaza will "end soon."
The Israeli military is working to "eliminate pockets of resistance" in northern Gaza, Gallant said, adding: "We will achieve this via raids, airstrikes, special operations and additional activities."
After the October 7 attacks, Gallant said the original plan was for the "intensive maneuvering stage" of Israel's military campaign in Gaza to last approximately three months. But, he cautioned the Israeli military adapts its operations "in accordance with the reality on the ground" and "our intelligence."
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has announced one of its army divisions had exited Gaza on Monday night, in the most significant sign yet of a shift to a new phase of fighting that some Israeli officials have been promising.
The IDF said its 36th division, which comprises armored, engineering, and infantry companies, withdrew from the strip after 80 days.
The brigade operated in the areas of Zeitun, Shati, Shejaiya, Rimal, and the Central Camps, the Israeli military added. The IDF did not respond to CNN’s questions about whether the withdrawal was temporary, what was behind the withdrawal, or how many troops it involved.
