Our live coverage for the day has ended. Follow the latest Israel-Hamas war news or read through the updates below.
April 24, 2024 - Israel-Hamas war
By Heather Chen, Rob Picheta, Christian Edwards, Aditi Sangal and Tori B. Powell, CNN
Updated 10:00 p.m. ET, April 24, 2024
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Coalition vessel stops Houthi missile "likely targeting" US flagged ship, CENTCOM says
From CNN's Rashard Rose
A coalition vessel on Wednesday stopped a Houthi anti-ship ballistic missile launched from Yemen "likely targeting" a US-flagged and owned ship with American crew members onboard, according to US Central Command.
"There were no injuries or damage reported by U.S., coalition, or commercial ships," CENTCOM said in a statement.
Separately, US forces destroyed four drones in Yemen, CENTCOM said.
Catch up on the latest developments in the Israel-Hamas war
From CNN staff
If you're just joining us, these are the most notable developments in Israel's war on Hamas and the tensions in the Middle East:
Disputed claims on death of Hezbollah fighters: Israel's defense minister claimed that half of Hezbollah’s commanders in southern Lebanon have been killed since fighting with Israel began on October 7 – a claim Hezbollah denies. There have been months of daily, deadly cross-border strikes by both Israel and Hezbollah that have displaced tens of thousands of Lebanese and Israeli residents from their homes.
Hostage video: Hamas released a video of Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin on Wednesday, the first proof that he survived being badly wounded during his capture on October 7. He is shown seated in a chair and addressing the camera directly in the undated video with part of his left arm missing several inches above the hand. He identified himself, gave his date of birth and parents’ names. He said he has been “here for almost 200 days,” suggesting that the video was filmed shortly before Tuesday, the 200th day of the war. He urged his own family to stay strong for him and finished by saying he hopes he was able to give them some comfort on Passover. The Biden administration received the video on Monday, two days before Hamas made the footage public on Wednesday, according to a United States official.
Israeli leader addresses protests on US college campuses: Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the protests are "not only antisemitic, but also inciting terrorism." Pro-Palestinian protests are taking place at major American universities, most prominently at New York's Columbia University, which has entered its eighth day of tense demonstrations.
US on Israeli settlements in West Bank: A US State Department spokesperson addressed reports of Israeli officials pushing to legalize Israeli settlements in the West Bank, and calling support for illegal outposts “dangerous and reckless.” State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said such actions “will only move the goal of peace and stability in the region further away.” The US is also pressing Israel for more information about the mass grave discovered in Khan Younis, Patel said.
Second gentleman Doug Emhoff will attend Thursday service for 7 World Central Kitchen aid workers
From CNN's Samantha Waldenberg
Second gentleman Doug Emhoff will attend Thursday’s “Celebration of Life” service for the seven aid workers from World Central Kitchen who were killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza on April 1 as they were delivering food to starving civilians.
A letter from President Joe Biden will also be read at the service, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said during Wednesday’s White House press briefing.
CNN has reached out to Emhoff’s office for additional details on his participation in the service. Emhoff is the first Jewish spouse of a president or vice president, and he has taken on an elevated role in fighting antisemitism since the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas.
Here are other known details about the service:
- Thursday’s service will be held at 11 a.m. ET at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC, according to the non-profit’s website
- Chef José Andrés will deliver remarks at the service and acclaimed cellist Yo-Yo Ma will perform as well, according to a service pamphlet published on the National Cathedral’s website.
Biden meets with 4-year-old hostage released by Hamas
From CNN's Kevin Liptak
US President Joe Biden met at the White House on Wednesday with Abigail Edan, the 4-year-old American dual citizen who was held hostage by Hamas following the October 7 terrorist attacks.
Jake Sullivan, the US national security adviser, said the meeting acted as a reminder of the Americans still being held by Hamas.
"We're working day in and day out to ensure all of them also are able to get safely home to their loved ones," he said.
Edan was released in November as part of a larger release of hostages. She was the first American hostage to be released by Hamas during the first truce.
The meeting on Wednesday had not been previously announced.
Legalizing Israeli settlements in West Bank would be "dangerous and reckless," US State Department says
From CNN's Michael Conte
A US State Department spokesperson addressed reports of Israeli officials pushing to legalize Israeli settlements in the West Bank, and calling support for illegal outposts “dangerous and reckless.”
“Our policy, US policy, remains that settlements are counterproductive to the cause of peace, and the government of Israel's program is inconsistent with international law,” said State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel at a press briefing.
The US will continue urging Israel “to refrain from taking actions to fund outposts that have long been illegal under Israeli law,” he added. “Actions or announcements seeking to expand outposts will only move the goal of peace and stability in the region further away.”
Separately, the US is also pressing Israel for more information about the mass grave discovered in Khan Younis, Patel said. "The allegations are troubling. They are disturbing. We take them very seriously," he said.
The post was updated with Patel's comment about the mass grave in Khan Younis.
US received video of Israeli-American hostage being held by Hamas earlier this week
From CNN's MJ Lee, Lauren Izso and Eyad Kourdi
The Biden administration received video of an Israeli-American hostage on Monday, two days before Hamas made the footage public on Wednesday, according to a United States official. Officials have since been in contact with Hersh Goldberg-Polin's family, the person said.
The FBI’s Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell is examining the video for any potential evidence and information that can be gleaned about Goldberg-Polin and his captivity, the official said. While the administration cannot currently authenticate the video, it has no reason to dispute that the person featured in the video is Goldberg-Polin, they added.
The video that Hamas released Wednesday marks the first proof that he survived after being badly wounded during his capture on October 7.
This official would not elaborate on what channels the US government received video of the wounded dual-American citizen.
After the video was released, Goldberg-Polin's family demanded immediate action to release their son and the other hostages, according to a statement Wednesday.
“Hersh's cry is the collective cry of all the hostages — their time is rapidly running out. With each passing day, the fear of losing more innocent lives grows stronger,” the family said. "We cannot afford to waste any more time; the hostages must be the top priority."
This post has been updated with comments from the family.
Israel says it's killed half of Hezbollah’s commanders since October 7, group dismisses claim as “ridiculous”
From CNN staff
Half of Hezbollah’s commanders in southern Lebanon have been killed since fighting with Israel began on October 7, according to Israel's defense minister – a claim Hezbollah denies.
In remarks made on camera after a “deep operational discussion” at the Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) northern command headquarters, Yoav Gallant said there's a “continuous offensive operation by IDF forces in all of southern Lebanon,” of which the results are “very impressive.”
“Half of Hezbollah commanders in southern Lebanon were eliminated... we made it so that either they die, or they hide and abandon South Lebanon to the IDF's operation, which is being done intensively,” Gallant said.
A Hezbollah official who spoke to CNN on the condition of anonymity denied those claims.
“The statement is ridiculous. It is meant for domestic consumption, or perhaps for the settlers in the north,” the official said.
The official went on to say that Hezbollah has not yet announced its “full mobilization,” adding that “our fighters continue to follow a service and leave system.”
There have been months of daily, deadly cross-border strikes by both Israel and Hezbollah that have displaced tens of thousands of Lebanese and Israeli residents from their homes. Israel has fired artillery and launched jets and drones to strike targets while Hezbollah has used some of its vast arsenal of rockets and missiles.
Hersh Goldberg-Polin criticizes Israeli government, in Hamas video almost certainly captured under duress
From CNN’s Eyad Kourdi and Lauren Izso
Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin criticized the Israeli government and urged his family to stay strong in the video released by Hamas on Wednesday.
Goldberg-Polin’s hair is cropped short in the video, which is edited with a number of cuts from wide shot to close up. It is the first proof that he survived his injuries sustained during the militant group's October 7 attacks.
He criticizes the Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as other Israeli hostages in Hamas propaganda videos have done. Held captive in Gaza for six months, he is almost certainly speaking under duress.
He mentions Israeli government ministers sitting down to holiday dinners with their families, an apparent reference to the Jewish holiday of Passover, which began Monday night and is traditionally celebrated with a family dinner.
He urges his own family to stay strong for him and finishes by saying he hopes he was able to give them some comfort on the holiday.
Goldberg-Polin was born in the United States but his family moved to Israel in 2008.
His parents, Rachel Goldberg and Jon Polin, told CNN shortly after the attacks that they last heard from their son that day, when they received two WhatsApp messages in the same minute; one reading “I love you." and the next "I’m sorry.” Goldberg immediately tried to call him, but said: “It just rang and rang.”
