Here’s what you need to know about the war in Israel and Hamas to start your day
According to the Israeli army and sources in the Strip, fierce fighting is taking place in some parts of Gaza, including the southern town of Khan Younis, although several areas have calmed down after the withdrawal of some Israeli units.
According to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Ministry of Health, the death toll in Gaza has exceeded 22,300 since October 7.
Meanwhile, fears over the possibility of a wider regional conflict were heightened after Iranian officials blamed Israel for double deadly explosions in Iran and threatened revenge.
The explosions near the grave of military commander Qasem Soleimani, killed in a US bombing, came on the fourth anniversary of his death, threatening to accelerate tensions in the region that have soared since the war between Israel and Hamas began in Gaza.
Here’s what you should know:
Hezbollah Warning: The leader of Hezbollah, the powerful Iran-backed Islamic militant group based in Lebanon, warned that if Israel fought a war with Lebanon, the response would be “unlimited.” Hassan Nasrallah also said Tuesday’s assassination of a top Hamas leader in Beirut “will not go unpunished.” The attack that killed Hamas official Saleh Al-Arouri was carried out by Israel, an American official told CNN. Israel has not claimed responsibility for the attack.
Cross-border fire: The Israel Defense Forces said on Wednesday it responded to attacks coming from inside Lebanon. Meanwhile, the Lebanese Foreign Minister told CNN that the government is working to convince Hezbollah not to declare war on Israel.
On the ground: An unknown number of people were killed Wednesday after artillery fire near a hospital in southern Gaza, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent, which runs the facility. In northern Gaza, a video from the Jabalya refugee camp showed the aftermath of a large explosion that caused several civilian casualties. Gaza’s Hamas-controlled Health Ministry said “dozens” of people “were killed and injured” when a family home in Jabalya was attacked. CNN has reached out to the IDF for comment.
Pipe repaired: Water has been restored to parts of central Gaza, the Deir al Balah municipality said, after a key pipeline was out of service for several days, causing “sewage to overflow into the streets”. UN agencies and NGOs have warned that the lack of clean water in many areas of Gaza risks spreading skin diseases and other illnesses such as diarrhea.
Hearing in The Hague: The International Court of Justice said it will hold public hearings next week into South Africa’s genocide claims against Israel in its war against Hamas. An Israeli government spokesman said Tuesday that Israel will appear before the International Court of Justice “to dispel South Africa’s absurd blood libel.”
Tunnel video: The Israeli army has released a video showing the dismantling of a tunnel that Hamas accuses of digging under Al-Shifa hospital, Gaza’s largest medical complex. Israel has accused Hamas of developing the tunnel system under the hospital to carry out “terrorist operations”, which Hamas has repeatedly denied.
2024-01-04 13:07:00
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