His comments came as the most powerful Iran-backed militia in Iraq announced the suspension of its military operations against US forces, two days after the attack.
“We’ve seen those reports," a Pentagon official said. "I don’t have a specific comment to provide other than actions speak louder than words.”
Here are other headlines you should know:
UK weighs Palestinian statehood: The United Kingdom will consider recognizing a Palestinian state to help end the war with Israel, the country's foreign secretary said. Also, the UK said it was “alarmed” by a conference held in Jerusalem on Sunday calling for the resettlement of Gaza by Jewish Israelis, which was attended by several Israeli cabinet ministers.
Netanyahu rejects Hamas demand: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel “will not release thousands of terrorists,” as part of a deal with Hamas, vowing to press on until the aims of the war in Gaza are achieved. The prime minister's comments come as Hamas has said it is studying a proposal for a potential hostage deal and ceasefire but that it wants the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
Flooding tunnels: The Israeli military confirmed Tuesday that it has been pumping "large volumes of water" into suspected Hamas tunnels in Gaza. When rumblings of the military's plans to flood tunnels emerged in December, concerns were raised about the safety of hostages, many of whom are believed to be held underground. Experts also highlighted concerns about the potential to contaminate freshwater supply and damage infrastructure at the surface level.
Israeli military at Khan Younis hospital: After surrounding the Al Amal hospital in Khan Younis in southern Gaza for more than a week, Israeli military vehicles entered its compound, which is crowded with thousands of displaced people, the PRCS said. The tanks fired "live ammunition and smoke grenades,” the aid agency said. Meanwhile, the chief of staff of Israel's military said it will not allow hospitals to become a “cover for terrorism” after special forces infiltrated the Ibn Sina hospital in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin and killed three Palestinian men.
44 min ago
WHO says it delivered essential medical supplies to key hospital in Khan Younis
From CNN's Niamh Kennedy in London
Tedros Ghebreyesus speaks to the media during a news conference at the Government Buildings in Dublin on December 18, 2023. Niall Carson/AP/File
The World Health Organization (WHO) was able to reach Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis and "deliver essential medical supplies for 1000 patients" on Monday, WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said.
WHO has issued several warnings about fighting in nearby areas. The vicinity around Nasser Hospital has seen frequent shelling and air strikes as the Israeli military says it is targeting operatives.
"Once the most important referral hospitals in southern Gaza, within a week Nasser has gone from partially to minimally functional, reflecting the unwarranted and ongoing dismantling of the health system," Tedros wrote in a post on X Tuesday.
A referral hospital is usually a major hospital that includes specialty and emergency care.
The team had hoped to also deliver food to the hospital but were unable to do so because those supplies were grabbed by crowds gathered around the checkpoint.
Tedros said the incident "underscores the utter desperation of people in Gaza, who live in hellish conditions, including severe hunger."
He highlighted the knock-on effect of delays in deliveries, saying the shortages "increase the health risks of vulnerable patients and hamper health personnel."
The hospital is grappling with a "serious shortage" of specialist medical personnel, medicines, oxygen and fuel, Tedros said.
He also said WHO continues to seek permission to deliver fuel to the hospital.
7 min ago
Families of US hostages meet with White House officials
From CNN's MJ Lee
The families of the six remaining American hostages in Gaza met Tuesday night at the White House with National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and White House Middle East Coordinator Brett McGurk, according to a White House official.
Sullivan and McGurk updated the families on the ongoing hostage negotiations, including information from Sullivan’s meeting this week with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
They also emphasized the administration’s continued commitment to get the hostages out, the official said.
The families participated both in person and virtually and had a chance to ask questions.
7 min ago
US destroyer intercepts Houthi missile, US Central Command says
From CNN's Oren Liebermann
A US destroyer intercepted a single Houthi anti-ship cruise missile launched toward the Red Sea on Tuesday, according to US Central Command.
The USS Gravely, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, intercepted the missile shortly before midnight in Yemen (approximately 3:30 p.m. ET). There were no injuries or damage reported, Central Command said in a statement.
More on Red Sea attacks: The latest Houthi attack on commercial vessels in one of the world’s most critical waterways comes just days after a Houthi anti-ship ballistic missile hit an oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden, sparking a fire on the ship.
The USS Carney, another destroyer operating in the region, was one of several ships that responded to the Marshall Islands-flagged M/V Marlin Luanda after it issued a distress call.
The US has carried out a series of strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen, some along with the UK, to go after Houthi weaponry and disrupt the rebel group’s ability to target international shipping lanes.
42 min ago
A UN assessment mission to Gaza could happen in the next few days, US says
From CNN's Jennifer Hansler
The first steps to moving forward with a United Nations assessment mission to northern Gaza are expected to take place in the next few days, according to the US State Department.
Spokesperson Matt Miller said Tuesday that security and road conditions needed to be checked to ensure that the full assessment mission could be carried out safely.
The planned mission was delayed “because of a renewed outbreak in fighting in the north,” Miller said at a briefing.
“We saw Hamas fighters pop up and start launching rocket attacks into Israel, start shooting Israeli forces, that made the conditions on the ground not tenable for conducting this humanitarian mission, not safe to conduct an assessment mission,” he said.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced earlier this month that Israel had agreed to allow such a mission to move forward to “determine what needs to be done to allow displaced Palestinians to return safely to homes in the north.”
In Gaza, the Israeli military confirmed after weeks of speculation that it has been pumping "large volumes of water" into suspected Hamas tunnels. In the southern city of Khan Younis, Israeli military vehicles entered the compound of Al Amal hospital, according to the Palestine Red Crescent Society.
His comments came as the most powerful Iran-backed militia in Iraq announced the suspension of its military operations against US forces, two days after the attack.
“We’ve seen those reports," a Pentagon official said. "I don’t have a specific comment to provide other than actions speak louder than words.”
Here are other headlines you should know:
UK weighs Palestinian statehood: The United Kingdom will consider recognizing a Palestinian state to help end the war with Israel, the country's foreign secretary said. Also, the UK said it was “alarmed” by a conference held in Jerusalem on Sunday calling for the resettlement of Gaza by Jewish Israelis, which was attended by several Israeli cabinet ministers.
Netanyahu rejects Hamas demand: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel “will not release thousands of terrorists,” as part of a deal with Hamas, vowing to press on until the aims of the war in Gaza are achieved. The prime minister's comments come as Hamas has said it is studying a proposal for a potential hostage deal and ceasefire but that it wants the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
Flooding tunnels: The Israeli military confirmed Tuesday that it has been pumping "large volumes of water" into suspected Hamas tunnels in Gaza. When rumblings of the military's plans to flood tunnels emerged in December, concerns were raised about the safety of hostages, many of whom are believed to be held underground. Experts also highlighted concerns about the potential to contaminate freshwater supply and damage infrastructure at the surface level.
Israeli military at Khan Younis hospital: After surrounding the Al Amal hospital in Khan Younis in southern Gaza for more than a week, Israeli military vehicles entered its compound, which is crowded with thousands of displaced people, the PRCS said. The tanks fired "live ammunition and smoke grenades,” the aid agency said. Meanwhile, the chief of staff of Israel's military said it will not allow hospitals to become a “cover for terrorism” after special forces infiltrated the Ibn Sina hospital in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin and killed three Palestinian men.
Tedros Ghebreyesus speaks to the media during a news conference at the Government Buildings in Dublin on December 18, 2023. Niall Carson/AP/File
The World Health Organization (WHO) was able to reach Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis and "deliver essential medical supplies for 1000 patients" on Monday, WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said.
WHO has issued several warnings about fighting in nearby areas. The vicinity around Nasser Hospital has seen frequent shelling and air strikes as the Israeli military says it is targeting operatives.
"Once the most important referral hospitals in southern Gaza, within a week Nasser has gone from partially to minimally functional, reflecting the unwarranted and ongoing dismantling of the health system," Tedros wrote in a post on X Tuesday.
A referral hospital is usually a major hospital that includes specialty and emergency care.
The team had hoped to also deliver food to the hospital but were unable to do so because those supplies were grabbed by crowds gathered around the checkpoint.
Tedros said the incident "underscores the utter desperation of people in Gaza, who live in hellish conditions, including severe hunger."
He highlighted the knock-on effect of delays in deliveries, saying the shortages "increase the health risks of vulnerable patients and hamper health personnel."
The hospital is grappling with a "serious shortage" of specialist medical personnel, medicines, oxygen and fuel, Tedros said.
He also said WHO continues to seek permission to deliver fuel to the hospital.
The families of the six remaining American hostages in Gaza met Tuesday night at the White House with National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and White House Middle East Coordinator Brett McGurk, according to a White House official.
Sullivan and McGurk updated the families on the ongoing hostage negotiations, including information from Sullivan’s meeting this week with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
They also emphasized the administration’s continued commitment to get the hostages out, the official said.
The families participated both in person and virtually and had a chance to ask questions.
A US destroyer intercepted a single Houthi anti-ship cruise missile launched toward the Red Sea on Tuesday, according to US Central Command.
The USS Gravely, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, intercepted the missile shortly before midnight in Yemen (approximately 3:30 p.m. ET). There were no injuries or damage reported, Central Command said in a statement.
More on Red Sea attacks: The latest Houthi attack on commercial vessels in one of the world’s most critical waterways comes just days after a Houthi anti-ship ballistic missile hit an oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden, sparking a fire on the ship.
The USS Carney, another destroyer operating in the region, was one of several ships that responded to the Marshall Islands-flagged M/V Marlin Luanda after it issued a distress call.
The US has carried out a series of strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen, some along with the UK, to go after Houthi weaponry and disrupt the rebel group’s ability to target international shipping lanes.
The first steps to moving forward with a United Nations assessment mission to northern Gaza are expected to take place in the next few days, according to the US State Department.
Spokesperson Matt Miller said Tuesday that security and road conditions needed to be checked to ensure that the full assessment mission could be carried out safely.
The planned mission was delayed “because of a renewed outbreak in fighting in the north,” Miller said at a briefing.
“We saw Hamas fighters pop up and start launching rocket attacks into Israel, start shooting Israeli forces, that made the conditions on the ground not tenable for conducting this humanitarian mission, not safe to conduct an assessment mission,” he said.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced earlier this month that Israel had agreed to allow such a mission to move forward to “determine what needs to be done to allow displaced Palestinians to return safely to homes in the north.”
