Merchant vessel in Red Sea struck by missile, UK maritime security agency says
From CNN’s Martin Goillandeau
A merchant ship in the Red Sea was “struck by a missile,” resulting in damage to the vessel, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said Friday in a warning note.
The British maritime tracking agency said the incident happened 76 nautical miles west of Yemen’s western port city of Hodeidah. It did not specify the nationality or flag of the vessel.
UKMTO said that the crew was reported safe and the vessel was proceeding to its next port of call.
Red Sea attacks: In recent weeks, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have been stepping up strikes on commercial ships in the Red Sea, in attacks that they say are retaliation against Israel for its military campaign in Gaza.
The US and UK have deployed anti-ship missiles and other weapons to intercept the Houthi attacks in the economically vital waterway.
1:59 a.m. ET, March 15, 2024
Australia will resume funding for UN agency in Gaza
From CNN's Hilary Whiteman in Brisbane, Teele Rebane and Sophie Jeong in Hong Kong
The Australian government announced on Friday that it would resume funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) following steps to strengthen the integrity of the organization's operations.
More than a dozen countries, including the US and UK, had paused their funding for UNRWA after Israel alleged that several of the agency’s employees were involved in the October 7 Hamas attack.
UNWRA has fired employees implicated in the accusations and warned it may be forced to halt its work in Gaza as funds dry up.
In resuming funding, the Australian government said it is "responding to a humanitarian situation in Gaza which is dire."
It said its decision was "in line with steps taken by Canada, Sweden and the EU."
The government said the funding agreement "will include stringent conditions such as guarantees of staff neutrality, and confidence in supply chains."
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said that "the Australian Government will work with UNRWA on an ongoing basis to ensure its integrity and neutrality are beyond reproach."
Australia said it will also deliver 140 parachutes for use in humanitarian airdrops by Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.
Australia will also provide about $2.6 million to UNICEF and about $1.3 million to a new mechanism of the UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza.
12:59 a.m. ET, March 15, 2024
It's morning in Gaza. Here's what you need to know
From CNN staff
Israeli shelling killed at least 20 people and wounded 155 others as civilians waited for food aid in Gaza City on Thursday, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry in the enclave.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) denied the attack and said it was assessing "the incident with the thoroughness that it deserves."
The Palestinian Health Ministry accused Israeli forces of "targeting a gathering of citizens waiting for humanitarian aid to satisfy their thirst at the Kuwaiti Roundabout in Gaza."
The roundabout is known to be an area where aid trucks commonly distribute food, attracting crowds of people desperate for supplies.
Videos showed dozens of bodies at the scene covered in rubble.
Eyewitnesses said the area was struck by what sounded like tank or artillery fire.
The attack came a day after at least seven Palestinians were killed at the same roundabout when Israeli troops opened fire as civilians waited for humanitarian aid, according to an eyewitness and a doctor at a nearby hospital.
If you're just joining our coverage, here are the latest headlines:
Schumer criticizes Netanyahu: US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has criticized Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and called for new elections in a speech about the war on the Senate floor. Schumer said Israelis needed to consider whether they should change course on how Israel is waging its war on Hamas and suggested new elections were the way to do so.
US sanctions: The US has sanctioned three Israeli settlers and two farms in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, as the administration targets threats to peace and security in the area. It comes after President Joe Biden signed an executive order last month aimed at targeting violent Israeli settlers in the West Bank.
Aid ships: A food aid group is hoping to load another 300 tons of humanitarian aid onto a ship bound for Gaza, the organization told CNN. If successful, the ship would be loaded with 50% more aid than the first vessel, the Open Arms, which set off toward Gaza with 200 tons of aid on Tuesday.
Food scarce: As food runs out across Gaza, so too is animal feed that some people were turning to to feed themselves. Hazem Saeed Al-Naizi told CNN his family is having to resort to eating plants like hibiscus.
Palestinian Health Ministry says Israeli shelling killed at least 20 people waiting for aid, which Israel denies
From CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq, Kareem Khadder and Abeer Salman
Israeli shelling killed at least 20 people and wounded 155 others as civilians waited for food aid on Thursday, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza.
The ministry accused Israeli forces of "targeting a gathering of citizens waiting for humanitarian aid to satisfy their thirst at the Kuwaiti Roundabout in Gaza."
The roundabout in Gaza City is known to be an area where aid trucks commonly distribute food, attracting crowds of people desperate for supplies.
The ministry said nearby hospitals didn't have the staff or supplies to deal with the volume and severity of injuries.
Graphic footage from the immediate aftermath of the scene filed by an eyewitness showed multiple bodies with traumatic injuries as well as pools of blood on a street strewn with rubble and dust.
Eyewitnesses said the area was struck by what sounded like tank or artillery fire.
In a statement shared with CNN early Friday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) denied attacking the food line and said it was assessing "the incident with the thoroughness that it deserves."
"The reports that the IDF attacked dozens of Gazans at an aid distribution point are false," it said.
Gaza Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmoud Basal also accused Israel of being behind the attack in a statement late Thursday.
Earlier violence at the site: At least seven Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded on Wednesday when Israeli forces opened fire on civilians gathered to receive aid at the roundabout, an eyewitness and a doctor at Al-Shifa Hospital told CNN on Thursday.
The IDF did not immediately return a request for comment on Wednesday's alleged shooting.
The Gaza-based Government Media Office said Tuesday that at least 400 people had been killed in similar incidents since the beginning of the war.
On February 29, at least 112 people were killed and 760 wounded after IDF troops used live fire as hungry and desperate Palestinian civilians were gathering around food aid trucks.
CNN cannot independently verify casualty figures due to the lack of international media access to the enclave.
11:43 p.m. ET, March 14, 2024
US announces more sanctions on Israeli settlers in West Bank
From CNN's Kylie Atwood, Lauren Iszo and Radina Gigova
An aerial view shows the Israeli settler outpost of Homesh in the occupied West Bank, on May 29, 2023. Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images
The US State Department announced new sanctions on three Israeli settlers and two farms in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, as the administration targets threats to peace and security in the area.
The latest sanctions follow an executive order signed by President Joe Biden last month aimed at targeting violent Israeli settlers in the West Bank whom he said undermined stability in the area.
State Department spokesperson Matt Miller said that "since the horrific terrorist attacks on Israel on October 7, violence in the West Bank has increased sharply."
"Today, we are taking further action to promote accountability for those perpetuating violence and causing turmoil in the West Bank by imposing sanctions on three Israeli individuals and two associated entities involved in undermining stability in the West Bank."
Miller reiterated the US position that there is "no justification for extremist violence against civilians or forcing families from their homes, whatever their national origin, ethnicity, race, or religion."
More on US sanctions: One of the individuals sanctioned, Moshe Sharvit, "repeatedly harassed, threatened, and attacked Palestinian civilians and Israeli human rights defenders in the vicinity of MOSHES FARM, an outpost in the West Bank," a fact sheet from the State Department said.
A settlement that was sanctioned, Zvis Farm, "perpetrates violence against Palestinians and prevents local Palestinian farmers from accessing and using their lands," the document said.
Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said that the US Treasury Department's decision to impose sanctions on Israeli settlers in the West Bank was "further proof that the US government does not understand who is the enemy and who is a friend."
Settler violence: About 500,000 Israeli Jewish settlers live in the West Bank according to Peace Now, an Israeli rights and monitoring group. Many settlements are heavily guarded, fenced-off areas that are off-limits to Palestinians.
Most of the world considers the settlements illegal under international law and Israel has been criticized for allowing their expansion.
10:51 p.m. ET, March 15, 2024
It will take years to clear the millions of tons of debris in Gaza, UN chief says
From CNN staff
It will take years to clear nearly 23 million metric tons of debris in Gaza from the destruction of the Israel-Hamas war, according to the United Nations.
Much of the debris is from residential units and other properties across the enclave following Israeli bombardment, said Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, citing UN humanitarian partners.
It will also take years to “clear up unexploded ordnances,” said Dujarric, to give a scope of the “rebuilding efforts that will be necessary once this conflict ends,” he said.
11:43 p.m. ET, March 14, 2024
Hamas delivers latest response in talks for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release
From CNN's Alex Marquardt and Kylie Atwood
Hamas submitted a new response to Egyptian and Qatari mediators in talks for a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza, according to a diplomat familiar with the negotiations and a Qatari official.
It is unclear how Hamas may have countered to bridge the significant gaps between the two sides.
CNN previously reported that the first phase of a deal had been expected to include a six-week humanitarian pause, the release of around 40 Israeli hostages, and a large number of Palestinian prisoners.
The hostages would be the remaining Israeli women — including Israel Defense Forces soldiers, the elderly, sick and wounded.
Sticking points: Hamas had refused to send Israel a list of all the hostages believed to be alive or dead. Hamas has been asking for a large number of Palestinian prisoners to be exchanged, additional aid into the strip, and the IDF to withdraw from Gaza in a second phase.
A US official tells CNN the administration currently feels “cautiously optimistic” about the direction that the talks are going. But they declined to share any further details.
CNN's MJ Lee and Becky Anderson contributed reporting.
11:41 p.m. ET, March 14, 2024
Palestinian Authority president appoints prime minister to form new government
From CNN's Samantha Waldenberg, Kareem Khadder, Catherine Nicholls, and Eyad Kourdi
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, left, poses for a photo with Mohammed Mustafa after appointing him as the new Prime Minister in Ramallah, West Bank, on Thursday. Palestinian Presidency/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has appointed Dr. Mohammad Mustafa as prime minister to form a new government, according to the official WAFA news agency Thursday.
"I call on you as Prime Minister-designate of the next government to commit to the highest interests of the Palestinian people, preserve their gains, protect their achievements, develop them and advance them," Abbas said in a presidential decree, as posted by WAFA.
Mustafa replaces former Prime Minister Mohammed Shttayah, who resigned in February along with his government.
Mustafa has been a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization since 2022 and has held the positions of deputy prime minister and minister of economy in previous governments, according to WAFA.
“We urge the formation of a reform cabinet as soon as possible,” National Security Council Spokesperson Adrienne Watson said. “A reformed Palestinian Authority is essential to delivering results for the Palestinian people and establishing the conditions for stability in both the West Bank and Gaza.”
UK Secretary of State David Cameron also welcomed the appointment, saying that "the formation of a new Palestinian government for the West Bank and Gaza, accompanied by an international support package, is one of the vital elements for a lasting peace."
11:31 p.m. ET, March 14, 2024
US military says it destroyed 9 anti-ship missiles and 2 drones in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen
From CNN staff
US forces destroyed nine anti-ship missiles and two drones in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen on Thursday, according to US Central Command.
“It was determined these weapons presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and U.S. Navy ships in the region,” CENTCOM said in a statement.
Earlier in the day, Iranian-backed Houthis fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen toward the Gulf of Aden and two more missiles toward the Red Sea, CENTCOM said.
No one was injured and no ships reported any damage.
The Houthis have been targeting ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since shortly after Israel's war with Hamas began, with the group trying to pressure Israel and its allies to stop its offensive in Gaza.
