Our live coverage of Israel's war in Gaza has moved here.
March 7, 2024 Israel-Hamas war
By Kathleen Magramo, Sophie Tanno, Antoinette Radford, Adrienne Vogt, Matt Meyer and Maureen Chowdhury, CNN
Updated 12:00 a.m. ET, March 8, 2024
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Biden addressed Israel's war in Gaza in his State of the Union speech. Here's the main takeaways
From CNN staff
US President Joe Biden acknowledged the “gut-wrenching” conflict in Gaza in his State of the Union remarks Thursday, calling on Hamas to release all hostages and urging Israel to “do its part,” to increase humanitarian aid deliveries to the Palestinian enclave.
"Israel has a right to go after Hamas" following the October 7 attack, Biden said, but he added that Israel also has a "fundamental responsibility" to protect civilians in Gaza.
"This war has taken a greater toll on innocent civilians than all previous wars in Gaza combined," he said.
Here are the main takeaways from Biden's speech:
- Hostages pledge: Biden promised to bring home American hostages held in Gaza since October 7, saying his teams have been "working non-stop to establish an immediate ceasefire that would last for at least six weeks." At least six Americans are believed to be among 99 hostages who are still alive. "I pledge to all the families that we will not rest until we bring their loved ones home," Biden said.
- Temporary aid port: The president announced plans for the US military to establish a temporary port to bring additional aid into the war-torn strip. The pier on Gaza's Mediterranean coast would receive "large ships carrying food, water, medicine and temporary shelters," Biden said. "Israel must allow more aid into Gaza and ensure that humanitarian workers aren’t caught in the cross-fire," he added.
- Two-state solution: Biden reiterated US support for a two-state solution to help bring a lasting peace to the Middle East, saying "no other path" would guarantee that "Palestinians can live with peace and dignity" alongside guaranteeing Israel’s security and democracy. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously rejected calls for Palestinian sovereignty.
- Iran threat: Creating stability in the Middle East also means "containing the threat posed by Iran," Biden said. He highlighted the US-led international coalition of more than a dozen countries in the Red Sea, where Iran-backed Houthi rebels are attacking commercial shipping. Biden said he had "ordered strikes to degrade Houthi capabilities and defend US forces in the region" and "will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and military personnel."
Stability in the Middle East means "containing the threat posed by Iran," Biden says
From CNN staff
Creating stability in the Middle East also means "containing the threat posed by Iran," US President Joe Biden said during his State of the Union address on Thursday.
Biden highlighted the US-led international coalition of more than a dozen countries in the Red Sea, where Iran-backed Houthi rebels are launching attacks on commercial shipping, which they say are retaliation for Israel's war in Gaza.
"I’ve ordered strikes to degrade Houthi capabilities and defend US forces in the region," Biden said. "As Commander in Chief, I will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and military personnel."
Escalating attacks: Two Filipino seafarers are among the dead after a Houthi ballistic missile struck a commercial ship in the Gulf of Aden on Wednesday, marking the first fatal attack by the Iran-backed militant group in its ongoing assaults in the Red Sea.
The Houthis have launched more than 45 missile and drone attacks against commercial and US and coalition naval vessels operating in the Red Sea, according to US and Western officials, most of which have been intercepted by US or coalition destroyers or landed harmlessly in the water. To date, no military vessels have been impacted, according to the US Defense Department.
Biden says "Israel has a right to go after Hamas," but is also responsible for protecting civilians
From CNN staff
After the October 7 attack, "Israel has a right to go after Hamas," US President Joe Biden said during his State of the Union address on Thursday. But Israel also has a “fundamental responsibility” to protect civilians in Gaza, the president said.
“This war has taken a greater toll on innocent civilians than all previous wars in Gaza combined,” Biden said.
As the humanitarian situation in Gaza deteriorates, Biden announced that the United States will establish a temporary pier near the enclave that will be used to deliver supplies.
The president also said his administration, along with other countries, has been working to reach an agreement for a temporary ceasefire to release Israeli hostages.
Biden reiterates US call for a two-state solution
From CNN staff
President Joe Biden on Thursday reiterated US support for a Palestinian state to help bring a lasting peace to the Middle East.
"As we look to the future, the only real solution is a two-state solution. I say this as a lifelong supporter of Israel and the only American president to visit Israel in wartime," Biden said during his State of the Union Address.
"There is no other path that guarantees Israel’s security and democracy. There is no other path that guarantees Palestinians can live with peace and dignity. There is no other path that guarantees peace between Israel and all of its Arab neighbors, including Saudi Arabia."
Remember: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously rejected calls for Palestinian sovereignty following talks with Biden about Gaza’s future, suggesting Israel’s security needs would be incompatible with Palestinian statehood. United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has called opposition to a two-state solution “unacceptable.”
Biden says US military will open temporary aid port in Gaza
From CNN staff
US President Joe Biden on Thursday announced plans for the US military to establish a temporary port along the Gaza coast to bring desperately needed additional humanitarian aid into the war-torn strip.
Speaking during his State of the Union address, Biden said the structure on the Mediterranean coast would receive "large ships carrying food, water, medicine and temporary shelters."
"This temporary pier would enable a massive increase in the amount of humanitarian assistance getting into Gaza every day," Biden said. "But Israel must also do its part. Israel must allow more aid into Gaza and ensure that humanitarian workers aren’t caught in the cross-fire."
No US boots will be on the ground in Gaza, the president said. It was not immediately clear when the port would be up and running.
Earlier, a senior Biden administration official said the additional assistance would be coordinated with Israel, the United Nations and humanitarian nongovernmental organizations. Initial aid shipments will come via Cyprus, the official said.
New land crossing: A senior US administration official also said earlier that Israel has "prepared a new land crossing directly into northern Gaza," a development that comes after weeks of increasing US pressure as the humanitarian crisis worsens. The Israeli government allowed just a quarter of the planned UN and humanitarian partner aid missions to enter areas of northern Gaza in February, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Thursday.
Biden pledges to bring American hostages home
From CNN staff
US President Joe Biden on Thursday pledged to bring home American hostages held in Gaza.
"Here in the chamber tonight are American families whose loved ones are still being held by Hamas," Biden said during his State of the Union address. "I pledge to all the families that we will not rest until we bring their loved ones home."
Hamas’ attacks on October 7 killed around 1,200 Israelis, with more than 200 people taken back to Gaza as hostages. Israel believes that 99 people are still being held in Gaza, along with the bodies of 31 dead hostages. At least six Americans are believed to be among the captives.
"We’ve been working non-stop to establish an immediate ceasefire that would last for at least six weeks," Biden said. "It would get the hostages home, ease the intolerable humanitarian crisis, and build toward something more enduring."
More than 30,000 people have died in Gaza since Israel waged war against Hamas five months ago, but recent efforts to bring about a ceasefire that would allow the release of the remaining hostages have been frustrated.
On Thursday two American officials agreed that the prospects are not promising of Israel and Hamas agreeing to a temporary truce by the start of Ramadan early next week. “Hope is fading,” one US official said.
UN Gaza reconstruction leader says aid needs to be flooded into the enclave
From CNN's Richard Roth and Sahar Akbarzai
Sigrid Kaag, United Nations Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza, told reporters Thursday more humanitarian aid is needed in Gaza.
"We need to flood the market in Gaza with humanitarian goods, delivering aid and relief to the people of Gaza," Kaag said. "We need more crossings."
She added: “When everything goes through one or two crossings, you can’t expect a miracle."
The coordinator noted just counting the number of aid trucks is not enough.
“We need to know quality, relevance and whether it meets the need plus volume," Kaag said.
With the US working on a port plus delivering by air drops, Kaag said the optimal solution is by land, "it’s easier faster, cheaper.” She said air drops are a "drop in the ocean."
The airdrops are just a symbol of support for civilians in Gaza, "it's far from enough," Kaag told reporters.
She added that air or sea are not a substitute for what needs to be done by land. Kaag said it is important to have a ceasefire, but the people are entitled to food and a level of protection.
More on aid: Only 112 of the 224 UN planned aid missions were facilitated by Israeli authorities and entered Gaza in February, Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, said on Thursday, citing the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Dujarric said shelter supplies are needed and that aid workers who deliver the aid face great risks because humanitarians operations have been “impeded by active fighting, bombardment,” and other challenges, the UN said.
UN welcomes US plan for Gaza port and emphasizes land access for aid distribution
From CNN's Richard Roth and Hamdi Alkhshali
Stéphane Dujarric, United Nations spokesperson, expressed appreciation on Thursday for the US proposal to construct a port in Gaza for humanitarian aid.
Dujarric also emphasized the importance of increasing aid delivery through land routes, stating: "Our focus and the international community's focus should continue to be on increasing the large-scale distribution and entry of aid by land."
He highlighted the cost-effectiveness and efficiency of land-based aid distribution, underscoring the need for additional entry points and increased aid volume through land routes.
Dujarric noted that while the arrival of aid trucks into Gaza is significant, it is just one step in a multi-faceted process. He explained the need for further logistics, including offloading and distributing aid, which often involves coordination with Israeli forces for security.
