December 9, 2023 Israel-Hamas war

Our coverage of the Israel-Hamas war has moved here.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Saturday discussed the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza with foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the Palestinian Authority, according to a statement shared by Trudeau’s office. 

“The prime minister reiterated his condemnation of Hamas and its brutal attacks against Israel. He underscored that Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people nor their legitimate aspirations. He also reiterated his call for the immediate release of all remaining hostages and stressed the need to ensure the safe exit of foreign nationals from Gaza,” the statement said.

The representatives also discussed the humanitarian situation in Gaza with Trudeau reiterating Canada’s support for “the right of Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace, dignity, and security, without fear.”

A vehicle of the ICRC drives hostages to the Rafah border point with Egypt as part of a transfer deal on November 26, 2023.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has played a crucial role in the war between Israel and Hamas, acting as a “neutral intermediary” in coordinating the recent transfer of hostages back into Israel, as well as the return of Palestinians from Israeli detention.

Being in the line of fire is something the ICRC has faced for the past 160 years – being present at virtually every global conflict and crises, also responding to natural disasters like the recent earthquake in Afghanistan, which tore through the country killing thousands.

But the organization has also had to defend itself against criticism in the past week that it’s not been doing enough to help remaining hostages in Gaza.

Read our full profile piece about the world’s oldest, and one of the most celebrated, humanitarian organizations.

People carry out search and rescue operations amid destruction caused by Israeli air strikes in Khan Younis, Gaza, on Friday, December 8.

The Israeli military has instructed residents of much of Khan Younis, the second-largest city in the Gaza Strip, to evacuate to the Al-Muwasi area, a strip of land with few facilities on the coast, as well as specified blocks shown on an IDF interactive map.

The Israel Defense Forces said:

Earlier, the IDF issued what it called “an urgent appeal” for civilians to leave much of the area in and around Khan Younis where fierce fighting is underway.

In a post on ‘X,’ the IDF’s spokesperson for Arab media, Avichay Adraee, urged residents of the “neighborhoods of Al-Katiba, Al Mahatta, and the city center in Khan Younis Governorate” to evacuate.

 Adraee specified five blocks (47, 55, 104 – 106) on the map published by the IDF.

 “We call on you to leave where you are urgently and go toward known shelters west of Khan Younis,” he said.

It’s unclear how many people might be aware of the instruction given the lack of communications networks and internet availability in much of Gaza. It’s also unclear what shelters Adraee is referring to. CNN has reached out to the IDF for further clarification. 

Al-Muwasi is a strip of some 20 square kilometers on the coast. 

A statement last month by United Nations agencies and humanitarian groups such as Care International, Mercy Corps and the World Health Organization, said the area could not function as a safe zone until all sides pledged not to fight there.

Al-Muwasi is largely open land but has already seen an influx of people trying to escape from the fighting.

This post was updated with more details on the evacuation order.

A ball of fire rises above a building during an Israeli strike in Rafah, Gaza, on Saturday, December 9.

Israel’s national security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi said the US has not told Israel any deadline to complete military operations against Hamas in Gaza.

CNN has previously reported that US officials expect Israel’s operation targeting the southern end of the strip to last several weeks before it transitions, possibly by January, to a lower-intensity, hyper-localized strategy that narrowly targets specific Hamas militants and leaders, according to multiple senior administration officials. The White House is deeply concerned about how Israel’s operations will unfold over the next several weeks, a senior US administration official said. The US has warned Israel firmly in “hard” and “direct” conversations, the official said, that the Israeli Defense Forces cannot replicate the kind of devastating tactics it used in the north and must do more to limit civilian casualties.

Hanegbi added that he did not think Hamas leadership had expected the scope of Israel’s response to the attacks on October 7, in which some 1,200 people were killed.  

“This is the minimal estimate, it could be higher since we don’t know everything,” he added. “We are getting very close to the control and command centers of Hamas in Jabalia and Shejaiya, the strongholds of persistent resistance in the northern Gaza Strip. And in the south, we’re operating fiercely.” 

Earlier, the Israel Defense Forces issued what it called “an urgent appeal” for civilians to leave neighborhoods in the southern city of Khan Younis, as clashes continue in different parts of the strip. 

On the Houthi threat: Hanegbi said Israel is prepared to act against efforts by Houthi rebels in Yemen to disrupt shipping in the Red Sea, if the international community fails to do so.

Hanegbi told Israel’s Channel 12 Saturday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with US President Joe Biden and European leaders about the Houthis targeting merchant ships with alleged Israeli links.

Netanyahu notified them that “Israel is giving the world some time to organize in order to prevent this. But if there isn’t be a global arrangement, because it is a global issue, we will act in order to remove this naval siege,” he said.

CNN reported this week that the US is considering beefing up protections for commercial ships around a vital Red Sea shipping route amid a series of recent missile attacks by the Iran-backed militants, according to military officials.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society said its teams received 100 aid trucks through the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza on Saturday.

The trucks contain food, water, relief assistance, medical supplies and medicines, the group said. A total of 3,499 trucks have been received since October 21, it added.

Before Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel, about 455 aid trucks were crossing into the area each day, according to the United Nations. 

Carl Skau, the United Nations’ World Food Programme deputy executive director, speaks with Reuters on Saturday, December 9.

A new process for inspecting aid trucks entering Gaza through the Kerem Shalom border crossing with Israel is currently being tested, the United Nations’ World Food Programme Deputy Executive Director Carl Skau said in an interview with Reuters on Saturday. 

“We need Kerem Shalom to open,” Skau told Reuters, adding that the WFP on Friday was trying to use the crossing for the first time “for verification, but not for entry.” 

Israeli Col. Elad Goren said Thursday at a press briefing that Israel will open the Kerem Shalom border crossing between Israel and Gaza for the inspection of aid trucks in the “next few days.” 

Separately on Saturday, UNICEF’s Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Adele Khodr echoed calls for more aid to be allowed inside the enclave, calling the current delivery challenges “a death sentence” for children, with close to a million of them displaced.

People gather in front of a burning building after it was hit by an Israeli strike in Khan Younis, Gaza, on Saturday, December 9.

The US is facing criticism after it vetoed a United Nations Security Council draft resolution on Friday that called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

At least 97 other countries joined in the effort, co-sponsoring the United Arab Emirates-drafted bill. Thirteen UN Security Council member countries were in favor of the draft resolution while the US vetoed and the UK abstained. It was the sixth time the Security Council had tried to reach consensus.

Later Friday night, the US State Department transmitted an emergency declaration to lawmakers for the sale of thousands of munitions to Israel, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told CNN. The move bypasses the standard 20-day period that congressional committees are typically afforded to review such a sale.

Meanwhile, heavy clashes continue between the Israeli military and Hamas in multiple areas of Gaza.

Here are other headlines you should know:

There were chaotic scenes early Saturday morning at a building in the district of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza following two large explosions, according to CNN video and residents’ testimonies. The residents said the building had been hit by air strikes.

Residents said around 150 people were thought to be taking shelter in the building. Some had been displaced from areas further north.

The video showed people clearing the rubble, in a frantic effort to look for those who might be trapped. Many others can be seen waiting nearby, some in tears.

CNN cannot independently confirm the exact street where the video was shot and at what time the blasts occurred.

According to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, at least eight people were killed and dozens were injured. CNN cannot independently verify the numbers.

One man said he had arrived there after being displaced from the Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza City. He said he was with his brother when he heard the strikes.

A woman at the scene said poor people pay the price for the conflict. 

“It’s the people who bear the brunt. The people are lost,” she said, adding that there was “no aid whatsoever.”

CNN has reached out to the Israel Defense Forces for comment on operations in the area. Deir al-Balah has seen multiple airstrikes since the end of the truce with Hamas just over a week ago.

Smoke rises over southern Gaza on December 9.

Clashes between the Israeli military and Hamas have continued in multiple parts of the Gaza Strip.

Hamas’ military wing, Al-Qassam Brigades, said Saturday that its fighters were “engaged in fierce battles from zero distance with occupation forces west of Jabalia camp,” in the north of Gaza. It also claimed clashes occurred in Zaytoun, which is in northern Gaza as well.

Jabalya has seen several days of fierce fighting, plus Israeli airstrikes.  

The Israel Defense Forces said the 931st Battalion received information about Hamas militants occupying buildings in the area.

The IDF issued video, which has been geolocated by CNN, that shows soldiers firing from alleyways. The military said Hamas “had set up an ambush in the same area, preparing to attack our forces as they passed through the central traffic route. The forces flanked the enemy through one of the alleys, surprising them.”

The IDF said the 98th Division continued to battle Hamas in Khan Younis in the south, supported by the air force. It said an explosive device was detonated near a mosque as troops of the Golani Infantry Brigade’s 12th Battalion carried out a raid.  

The IDF also reported multiple operations by other units in southern Gaza, including an assault on a Hamas command room and tunnel shafts.

CNN cannot independently verify the details of operations reported by either side.

The Israel Defense Forces announced that four more soldiers have been killed in battles inside the Gaza Strip. 

One of them, Maor Cohen Eisenkot, was the nephew of government minister Gadi Eisenkot, whose son Gal was killed in northern Gaza on Thursday. 

Maor Cohen Eisenkot, 19, was a soldier of the Golani Brigade. He was killed Friday, the IDF said.

All four of the soldiers killed were fighting in the southern Gaza Strip. 

So far, 96 IDF soldiers have died in battle inside the Gaza Strip, according to the military.

The IDF statement also said 12 soldiers were severely injured over the weekend during fighting inside the strip, and two soldiers were severely injured Friday by Hezbollah fire from Lebanon.

People gather for a pro-Palestinian demonstration in London on Saturday, December 9.

Thousands gathered in central London Saturday to attend a pro-Palestinian demonstration that is expected to culminate with speeches at Parliament Square. 

The organizers of the demonstration, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, posted images and video on social media showing large crowds of protesters carrying placards and waving Palestinian flags. 

London’s Metropolitan Police said they estimate nearly 40,000 people attended the rally.  

Two individuals have been arrested so far for carrying offensive placards, police said. 

A dispersal order is in place until 1 a.m. local time (8 p.m. ET) in the area near Parliament, police said.

“Anyone in the area who is directed by an officer to leave and fails to do so can be arrested,” Met Police said. 

The US State Department transmitted an emergency declaration to lawmakers late Friday night for the sale of thousands of munitions to Israel, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told CNN. The move bypasses the standard 20-day period that congressional committees are typically afforded to review such a sale.

The declaration followed a request by the State Department earlier in the week for Congress to approve the sale of 45,000 shells to Israel for its Merkava tanks. The source added that the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which have oversight over military sales, had been under “pressure” from the State Department to approve the request quickly amid Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. 

The committees typically have 20 days to review foreign military sales, allowing lawmakers to raise questions about a transaction and delay it if needed. But late Friday night, the State Department transmitted an emergency declaration to the committees for 13,000 of the tank shells, worth about $106 million, for immediate delivery to Israel, the source said Saturday. 

The administration’s move to transfer some of the munitions comes as the US is under growing domestic and international pressure to support a ceasefire in Gaza, and place conditions on some of the weapons it is providing to Israel.

Reuters first reported the initial administration request for 45,000 shells.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a press conference on December 7, in Washington, DC.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) President Mirjana Spoljaric Egger and several top Middle East diplomats Friday to discuss the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

As CNN has been reporting, the US has been facing criticism for blocking a UN resolution that called for a ceasefire in Gaza. The US has stepped up pressure on Israel to do more to protect civilians but remains a crucial ally.

Blinken’s call with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan “affirmed the urgency of addressing humanitarian needs in Gaza, preventing further spread of the conflict, and reinforcing regional stability,” according to a State Department readout of the call.

The State Department also said in a statement that Blinken met Friday with a delegation representing the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which included the Foreign Ministers of Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, as well as a Palestinian Authority senior official. 

During the meeting, Blinken “reaffirmed the United States’ support for Israel’s right to ensure Hamas can never repeat the October 7 attacks as well as the urgency of addressing humanitarian needs in Gaza, protecting Palestinian civilians from harm, preventing displacement, and containing further spread of the conflict,” per a statement.

In his call with ICRC President Spoljaric, Blinken “emphasized the importance of ICRC’s humanitarian response to the conflict in Gaza” and the two “discussed efforts to strengthen civilian protections and expand the flow of humanitarian assistance throughout Gaza,” according to Miller. 

Blinken also “reiterated the call for the immediate release of all hostages and highlighted the need for the IRC to be granted access to the remain hostages” during the call.

Firefights battle flames in a building hit by an Israeli strike in Khan Younis, Gaza, on December 9.

Amid fierce fighting in and around the city of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces has issued what it calls “an urgent appeal” for civilians to leave much of the area. 

Adraee specified five blocks a map published by the IDF from which people are directed to evacuate.

“We call on you to leave where you are urgently and go towards known shelters west of Khan Younis,” he said on X.

It’s unclear how many people might be aware of the instruction given the lack of communications networks and internet availability in much of Gaza. It’s also unclear what shelters Adraee is referring to; CNN has reached out to the IDF for further clarification. 

Some context: Since a truce between Israel and Hamas collapsed last week, Israel relaunched its military campaign in Gaza and is fighting in the southern city of Khan Younis as part of its efforts to destroy the militant group behind the deadly October 7 attacks.

The IDF says Khan Younis is a “main stronghold” of Hamas and in an update on Friday said it was fighting “house to house” in the city, Gaza’s second biggest.

The United Nations Security Council meets in New York City on December 8.

If you are just joining us, the US is facing criticism after it vetoed a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza

Since a truce between Israel and Hamas collapsed last week, Israel relaunched its military campaign in Gaza and is fighting in the southern city of Khan Younis as part of its efforts to destroy the militant group behind the deadly October 7 attacks.

Here’s what we know.

Why the vote was called: Friday’s vote followed UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ rare invocation of Article 99 of the UN charter, allowing him to call a Security Council meeting on an “issue that may aggravate existing threats to the maintenance of international peace and security.” He warned of an impending “humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) then circulated a draft resolution to Security Council members on Wednesday calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. At least 97 other countries joined in the effort, co-sponsoring the UAE-drafted bill.

How the voting went: During the vote on Friday, thirteen UN Security Council member countries were in favor of the draft resolution. As one of the council’s five permanent members with veto power, the United States exercised its veto power. The UK abstained, saying it could not vote on a resolution that did not condemn Hamas. It was the sixth time the Security Council had tried to reach consensus.

What the US and Israel said: Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood told the Security Council that it vetoed the ceasefire resolution because there was no mention of the October 7 terror attacks. The US had previously signaled disapproval of the draft and has repeatedly resisted calls for a ceasefire, emphasizing what it calls Israel’s right to defend itself following Hamas’ attacks. Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, thanked the US for “standing firm with us” in a post on X following the vote, while referring to it as a “detached discussion about a distorted resolution directed at the wrong side and not even condemning Hamas.”

Hamas responds: Hamas called the US veto an “immoral and inhumane position.” A member of Hamas’ political bureau, Izzat Al-Rishq, said in a statement: “America’s obstruction of the issuance of a ceasefire resolution is a direct participation with the [Israeli] occupation in killing our people.”

Aid agencies join condemnation: Some of the strongest criticism has come from aid groups. Amnesty International’s secretary general called the veto a “callous disregard” for human suffering while Médecins Sans Frontières  – also known as Doctors Without Borders – said the US “stands alone in casting its vote against humanity.” Oxfam meanwhile said the veto “puts another nail in the coffin for US credibility on matters of human rights.”

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas speaks during a meeting in Ramallah, West Bank, on December 2.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday said the US was responsible for the “bloodshed” of civilians in the Gaza Strip, a day after the United States vetoed a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

According to the Palestinian official news agency WAFA, Abbas condemned the US veto, calling the American position “unethical” and “a blatant violation of all human values and principles.”

According to WAFA, Abbas held the United States “responsible for the bloodshed of Palestinian children, women, and elderly in the Gaza Strip.”

Abbas said the US was complicit in what he said were “war crimes committed by the Israeli occupation forces against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and Jerusalem,” according to WAFA, urging the international community to search for solutions, “before this dangerous crisis turns into a religious war that threatens the world as a whole.”

Remember: A rare intervention from United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres this week saw the UN Security Council vote Friday on a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

The resolution, which was vetoed by the United States, called for “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire,” as well as “the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.”

Photo of Sahar Baruch taken from an Al Qassam Brigades video.

An Israeli hostage held in Gaza, 25-year-old Sahar Baruch, has been killed, the kibbutz where he lived announced on Saturday.

Hamas alleges that Baruch was killed Friday morning during a failed Israeli rescue operation, but the IDF has not commented on that allegation.

Hamas’ military wing, the Qassam Brigades, on Friday released a video of Baruch’s corpse. The video included images of the alleged aftermath of the operation, and a video statement from Baruch apparently filmed some weeks ago.

It is unclear from the video how Baruch died.

The Israel Defense Forces said Friday that two IDF soldiers were severely wounded during a failed rescue attempt but did not say anything about a hostage being killed or injured, and it is unclear whether it was the same incident.

Hamas released a statement Friday morning, before the video was released, with its allegations about Baruch’s death.

The Hamas video begins with Baruch speaking to camera. CNN is not airing the video.

“⁠I am Sa’ar Baruch, 24-years-old, from Kibbutz Be’eri,” he says. “I used to work for the Be’eri Print until October 7. Since then I’ve been held hostage for 40 days in Gaza. I want to get back home.” 

His statement suggests that that portion of the video was filmed around mid-November.

Text on screen then appears, repeating Hamas’ allegations.

The video then cuts to a floor, which is covered in blood, empty bullet casings, and detritus. The camera then shows various weapons, some of which are covered in blood.

Finally, the video cuts to what is purported to be Baruch’s corpse, smeared in blood. The body appears to have severe wounds to the face and is covered in flies.

The IDF referred CNN’s inquiry about the incident to the Prime Minister’s Office. The Prime Minister’s Office told CNN it had no comment.

When asked about Hamas’ claims on Friday, Eylon Levy, an Israeli government spokesperson said: “We are not going to comment on psychological warfare that Hamas continues to wage against the people of Israel.”

At least 136 hostages are still being held in Gaza, the IDF said on December 1. IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said the number includes 17 women and children. 

Shelling near the Al-Amal Hospital and the premises of the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) in the south Gazan city of Khan Younis continued on Saturday morning, according to the PRCS.

In a video posted by PRCS on X, formerly known as Twitter, a plume of smoke can be seen in the distance.

CNN geolocated the video, which appears to have been shot from a medical complex in Khan Younis that houses the Al-Amal Hospital.

Earlier this week, PRCS stressed that the Al-Amal Hospital continues to face fuel shortages, forcing services to be cut.

The Israeli military says Khan Younis in Gaza’s south is a “main stronghold” of Hamas.

Two of the oldest mosques in Gaza City appear to have suffered extensive damage following airstrikes earlier this week, according to authorities in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

The Great Omari mosque, the oldest mosque in Gaza City, appears to have been reduced to rubble with most of its premises in ruins and only its minaret appearing to be somewhat intact, photos and videos surfaced on social media show.

According to the statement from Hamas, 104 mosques and three historical churches have so far been destroyed.

CNN cannot independently confirm these numbers or the extent of the damage caused.

The nearby Othman bin Qushqar Mosque in the old town of Gaza City was also said to have been struck on Thursday, resulting in damaged neighboring buildings and injuries, according to the Palestinian culture ministry in Ramallah.