February 14, 2024 Israel-Hamas war

Our live coverage of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza has moved here.

Israel’s plans to launch a ground offensive in the southern Gazan city of Rafah would be “catastrophic,” the prime ministers of Australia, Canada and New Zealand warned in a joint statement Thursday.

The world leaders called on Israel to heed “growing international consensus” and not “go down this path,” as “there is simply nowhere else for civilians to go.”

They cited the International Court of Justice, which ordered Israel to ensure the delivery of essential humanitarian aid and the protection of civilians in Gaza.

The group added that “any ceasefire cannot be one sided” and reiterated calls for the release of all Israeli hostages.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends media conference in Tel Aviv on October 12, 2023. 

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday reiterated his intention to order concerted military operations in Rafah, vowing that his country will fight “until the absolutely victory.”

Netanyahu said “powerful action” will come in the southern Gazan city after the evacuation of civilians from “battle zones.”

A growing number of world leaders and NGOs have called on Israel to avoid a ground operation in what is now Gaza’s most populated city, with a Red Cross official saying “countless lives are hanging in the balance.”

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock condemned Israel’s planned ground offensive, saying it would create a “humanitarian catastrophe.”

It comes as the Israeli military said Wednesday that it has struck Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, as the Israel Defense Forces chief of staff warned of an ongoing offensive against targets in the neighboring country. The strikes follow an earlier deadly rocket attack from Lebanon on a northern Israeli city.

Here are the latest headlines:

Doctors and medical officials in Gaza say Israeli snipers have shot dead a number of people as they tried to leave the Nasser Medical Complex in southern Gaza over recent days.

A trauma surgeon at the hospital said he was eyewitness to the shootings and said at least two people were killed by snipers on Tuesday, with more shot and injured.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have ordered hospital staff and patients inside the medical complex to evacuate and said it had “opened a secure route” for civilians to leave.

But at least eight people trying to escape along the route came under gunfire on Tuesday, said the surgeon, who asked not to be named for security reasons.

In a series of voice notes, the surgeon said medical teams at the hospital have been under intense bombardment for at least three days. His testimony was shared with CNN by his colleague.

Among those injured, the surgeon said, was a 16-year-old boy shot with four bullets at the hospital gate.

The Nasser Medical Complex is the largest remaining functioning medical facility in Gaza.

Reached for comment late Wednesday, the IDF confirmed to CNN that Israeli troops are operating in the area of the Nasser Medical Complex and said they will get back to CNN if anything changes, but did not respond directly to the allegations.

Israel has repeatedly said that its military forces do not target civilians.

Doctors Without Borders has condemned the Israeli military’s order to evacuate patients, staff and displaced people from Gaza’s Nasser Hospital on Tuesday.

The organization’s staff remained at the medical complex in Khan Younis on Wednesday to treat patients “amid near impossible conditions,” the medical charity, also known as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), said in a statement.

There has been heavy fighting near Nasser Hospital for weeks, trapping staff, patients and displaced people inside the medical complex with “very little access to essential supplies,” MSF said.

With so much destruction in northern Gaza and the current offensive unfolding in the southern part of the besieged enclave, MSF said that many people have no safe place to flee.

Alarms blared on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier in the Red Sea at 4 a.m. on Tuesday morning, warning personnel to prepare for potential flight operations against a Houthi drone that was flying over nearby ships.

That drone was ultimately deemed not to be a threat. But the incident demonstrated how the crew of the carrier are constantly on a heightened alert for incoming threats from the Iran-backed militants in Yemen, who have been routinely targeting commercial ships as well as US and coalition forces in the key waterway with missiles and drones.

On board two vessels spearheading the US response to Houthi attacks, the Eisenhower and the US destroyer the USS Gravely in the southern Red Sea, CNN gained unique access and spoke to sailors and pilots who said the Houthi threat remains both unpredictable and unprecedented.

The US Navy is working at a frenetic pace, deploying jets and firing missiles at a moment’s notice to try to destroy the Houthis’ weapons and infrastructure.

But after dozens of strikes over the last month against Houthi targets both over the Red Sea and inside Yemen, CNN was told that the US military still does not know exactly how much of the Houthis’ capabilities have been destroyed — or how long it will take to deter them for good.

Read the full story.

US President Joe Biden granted Palestinians in the United States temporary protection from deportation amid the ongoing conflict overseas, according to a new memo.

The move comes as the White House faces immense pressure from the Arab-American community over the situation in Gaza.

Late last year, Democrats urged Biden to extend temporary protections to Palestinians in the US, arguing that those already in the country “should not be forced to return to the Palestinian territories, consistent with President Biden’s stated commitment to protecting Palestinian civilians.”

The president has the discretion to authorize what’s known as deferred enforced departure, which protects those covered from removal from the US for a period of time. Those who qualify are also eligible for work permits. 

Those convicted of felonies or who pose a public safety threat are not eligible for deferred enforced departure.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock speaks during a press conference at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, about the situation in Israel on Wednesday, February 14.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock condemned Israel’s plans to launch a ground offensive in Rafah, saying it would create a “humanitarian catastrophe.” 

Speaking during a news conference after she met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Baerbock drew attention to the plight of displaced Palestinians sheltering in Rafah. 

This comes as Netanyahu promised a “powerful action” in Rafah after the civilian population is evacuated, according to a statement posted on X. 

During her talks, Baerbock said she pushed for “more border crossings be opened quickly” so more humanitarian aid and medical supplies can reach people in Gaza. 

The foreign minister also laid out Germany’s support for a ceasefire, saying it would create “a window of opportunity to free the hostages and to get more humanitarian aid in.” 

Arab countries at the United Nations are preparing to introduce a Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, they said Wednesday.

The resolution would also call for unimpeded humanitarian relief and would block any transfer of residents of Gaza to a different location — which Arab countries insist is forced collective punishment against international law.

The United States has publicly stated it opposed the draft resolution. 

Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour said the group had good, frank talks with the US Ambassador. Mansour said it is “high time” for the UN to act with a ceasefire resolution. and said the “internal business of the US is their business.”

The Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide echoed concerns expressed by other senior United Nations officials about Israel’s plans for a full military incursion in Rafah, which would almost certainly have disastrous consequences for the civilians in the area.

Nderitu also emphasized the needs to release all hostages unconditionally and ensure humanitarian aid can reach those who need it most, as well as the need to speed up negotiations so that further violence can be prevented and a sustainable ceasefire can be implemented. 

“It is imperative that the protection of civilians is prioritized and that international humanitarian law is respected at all times,” the special adviser said. “Enough of violence and enough of suffering of those who are most vulnerable, in Rafah and in the entire Gaza Strip.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his intention to order Israel’s military to go into Rafah after the civilian population is evacuated, according to a new statement posted on X Wednesday.

Some background: US President Joe Biden told Netanyahu previously that an operation in Rafah “should not proceed” without ensuring the safety of the people sheltering there, the White House said.

Some other world leaders and NGOs including the United Nations have called on Israel to avoid a ground operation in what is now Gaza’s most populated city.

French president Emmanel Macron and World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday appealed to Israel not to move forward with a Rafah ground operation.

Netanyahu said on Sunday that Rafah is “Hamas’s last bastion,” and that Israel will get the “remaining Hamas terrorist battalions” there, in an interview with ABC News.

FBI Director Christopher Wray testifies at the Capitol on January 31, in Washington, DC.

FBI Director Christopher Wray met with Israeli law enforcement and intelligence officers during an unannounced trip to the country Wednesday, according to the bureau.  

Wray and his counterparts discussed the threat landscape facing both Israel and the US during the meeting, the FBI said in a press release. Also, Wray reiterated the bureau’s continued support to Israel after the October 7 attacks. 

Wray also met with the bureau’s legal attaché office in Tel Aviv and “stressed the importance of the work being done by FBI personnel alongside their Israeli partners to combat the threats posed by Hamas, Hizballah, Iran and others and to provide services to US victims of the attack,” the bureau said.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) issued a stern warning on Wednesday amid escalating armed hostilities in Rafah and the southern Gaza Strip.

With reports indicating a new phase of conflict, the ICRC emphasized the need to safeguard civilian lives. Fabrizio Carboni, ICRC’s regional director for the Near and Middle East, urged all parties to spare civilian lives and infrastructure, emphasizing adherence to international humanitarian law.

Rafah, currently home to an estimated 1.4 million Palestinians, mostly displaced from elsewhere in Gaza, faces severe shortages of essentials like food, water, and healthcare.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan speaks during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, DC, on February 14.

The White House confirmed Wednesday that a US-funded shipment of flour intended for Gaza has “not moved the way that we had expected it would move.”

Officials acknowledged that the delay raises concerns over Israel’s ability to ensure delivery of humanitarian aid if it does follow through with a ground incursion into Rafah.

About the shipment: The shipment was blocked by Israeli customs under operational orders of controversial Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, despite Israel’s war cabinet having approved shipments of flour to Gaza via the Ashdod port following a request from US officials.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, which has been accused by Israel of employing individuals associated with Hamas’ October 7 attack, was listed as the recipient of the grain shipment. 

SpaceX-operated Starlink internet will be provided to the United Arab Emirates field hospital in southern Gaza for patients needing real-time video medical consultations, the UAE’s foreign ministry said Wednesday. 

The Rafah-based hospital — one of the few international field hospitals in Gaza — is staffed by 50 doctors, nurses, pharmacists and lab technicians. Communication difficulties in the enclave have affected its ability to help patients through video conferences with other hospitals.

Starlink uses a network of thousands of satellites to provide broadband and can deliver high-speed internet to users all over the world, including in areas where conventional internet is unavailable.

More on this: Elon Musk, who founded SpaceX, was criticized by Israeli officials in October when he wrote on X that he would provide Starlink to internationally recognized aid organizations in Gaza.

At the time Israeli officials accused Musk of supporting Hamas, but shortly after, Israel’s communication minister posted that the country came to a “principle understanding” with Musk on Starlink and allowed it to operate in Israel and Gaza with the approval of the Israeli government. Israeli communication ministry said in a statement Wednesday that Israel approved the use of Starlink at the UAE hospital.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Wednesday that it has struck Hezbollah targets in Lebanon in response to a deadly attack.

Overnight, the IDF said a base in northern Israel was targeted by rockets from Lebanon. The attack killed an Israeli soldier and injured at least eight others, according to authorities and emergency services.

Hezbollah, an Iran-backed armed group that is a regional force in its own right, has not claimed the attack. But Lebanese state media and Hezbollah-owned media reported air raids on several towns on southern Lebanon, including Aadchit, Souaneh and Chehabiya, throughout Wednesday. The United States is “concerned about escalation” in Lebanon and said that it is working to help resolve the tension, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said.

The strikes in Lebanon come as Palestinians in Rafah — the last remaining refuge in Gaza — are panicking as they try and decide whether to stay in the area or leave ahead of a planned Israeli offensive.

The United Nations aid chief has warned an attack on the southern Gaza city could lead to a “slaughter.” And a growing number of countries and international organizations are now scrambling to convince Israel to halt its planned offensive.

Here are the latest headlines:

French President Emmanuel Macron holds a press conference in Brussels, Belgium, on February 1.

President Emmanuel Macron voiced France’s “firm opposition” to an Israeli ground operation in Rafah during a phone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday. 

According to readout from the Élysée Palace, Macron told Netanyahu that the “human cost and humanitarian situation” in Gaza are “intolerable” and Israeli operations there “should cease.” 

The French leader warned that such an operation would “constitute a violation of international humanitarian law” and create an “additional risk of regional escalation.” 

Macron also used the phone call as an opportunity to call for one of Israel’s main cargo points, the Port of Ashdod, to be opened, highlighting the urgent need to “massively send humanitarian aid to the population of Gaza.”

More background: Israeli officials are continuing to draw up plans for a ground incursion into the southern Gaza city of Rafah which is sheltering over 1.3 million Palestinians, the majority of whom have been displaced from elsewhere within the enclave. 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a press conference in Cairo, Egypt, on February 14.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan renewed his call for a ceasefire saying, “the human tragedy in Gaza and in the occupied Palestinian territories was top on the agenda” in his meeting with Egypt’s Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on Wednesday.

“Ignoring the reactions, the Netanyahu government recklessly is continuing its policy of occupation, destruction and massacre. Our priority is to establish a ceasefire as soon as possible and to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza without any obstacles,” Erdogan said during a news conference in Cairo after the meeting.

Erdogan warned against attempts to drive Palestinians from Gaza. “Attempts to exile the people of Gaza from their lands are null and void,” he said.

Turkey’s president thanked Cairo for their support in helping Turkey deliver more than 34,000 tons of humanitarian aid to Gaza. 

“We will continue to cooperate and stand in solidarity with our Egyptian brothers to put an end to the bloodshed in Gaza,” he said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a cabinet meeting in Tel Aviv, Israel, on January 7.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday said that Hamas must change its negotiating position before talks can continue in Cairo.

Negotiations on a ceasefire as well as hostage and prisoner releases – using Qatar and Egypt as intermediaries – had been ongoing before Israel’s delegation returned from Cairo on Tuesday.

“A change in Hamas’ positions will allow progress in the negotiations.”

A US official on Tuesday said the talks in Cairo were productive and serious, but did not arrive at a breakthrough that would result in a final deal. A second US official said the outstanding area of disagreement among the parties in the hostage talks is the ratio of Palestinian prisoners to hostages that would be released as part of the deal.

CNN previously reported that Hamas’ counterproposal included a call to release “all prisoners in Israeli prisons, including women, children, the elderly (over 50 years old), and the sick, who were arrested up until the date of signing this agreement.”

Israel has told mediators they will continue to engage in talks that could lead to a hostage release and a fighting pause in Gaza but have so far rejected a counterproposal made by Hamas that demanded a large release of Palestinian prisoners, a diplomat familiar with the discussions said.

CIA director Bill Burns, the Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani and Mossad Director David Barnea left Cairo following the talks on Tuesday.

Talks continue but no further meetings are currently planned until Hamas responds, the diplomat and another source familiar with the discussion said.

Despite little apparent concrete progress in Cairo, mediators remain encouraged that talks have not stopped despite the impasse and a deal is not expected to be imminently reached, the second source added.