January 17, 2024 Israel-Hamas war

A solution in Gaza will "allow for the de-escalation in other parts of the Middle East," said United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

Speaking to CNN's Julia Chatterley at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday, Guterres warned that he is "extremely worried about Lebanon."

"We cannot have in Lebanon another Gaza," said Guterres, adding that he sees serious efforts being made by the Lebanese government, the United States and other parties.

Guterres also called for a humanitarian ceasefire in order to facilitate the liberation of hostages "immediately and unconditionally," to provide "effective humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza" and to "facilitate a serious negotiation for de-escalation in Lebanon."

The situation in Gaza is "gut-wrenching," said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, adding the "suffering we are seeing among innocent men, women and children breaks my heart."

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos Wednesday, Blinken said there remained questions on the most effective ways to get humanitarian assistance into Gaza and how to minimize civilian casualties.

When asked whether Jewish lives matter more than Palestinian lives for the US, he said: "No. Period."

He also described the Israel-Gaza war as a "profound opportunity for regionalization in the Middle East," adding that more Arab countries were willing to have a relationship with Israel.

The managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned about the impact of the Red Sea disruption on the global economy if the situation escalates.

Some context: Attacks by Iran-backed militants in the Red Sea effectively closed one of the world’s main trade routes to most container ships. The Houthi militants, based in Yemen, say they are taking revenge for Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.

As Israel’s war against Hamas enters its fourth month, the Israeli government has said little of substance, at least in any official way, on its plans for post-war Gaza.

Into that void has stepped a group — once fringe, but now in the governing coalition — that hopes for full Israeli control, to resettle Gaza and even expel Palestinians. And its ideas are permeating mainstream debate.

Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who also holds a position in the defense ministry, says that Israel “will rule there. And in order to rule there securely for a long time, we must have a civilian presence.”

Read the full story here.

Israeli forces are moving toward the largest hospital in Khan Younis, prompting patients and sheltering Gazans to flee, according to international doctors working there and local journalists capturing events on camera.

"The hospital is shaking and there is panic," an American doctor said in a voice note sent to CNN from the Al Nasser hospital, in which the sound of gunfire could be heard in the background.

Earlier, the Israeli military said Hamas had recently carried out a launch toward Israel from within the hospital compound. Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of exploiting civilians as human shields by using hospitals and nearby areas as military sites.

It comes after Israel's defense minister said the intensive stage of its military offensive in Gaza will "end soon," and as the UN relief chief warned Israel's war has brought famine to the strip with "such incredible speed."

Catch up on the latest updates:

Israeli forces are moving toward the largest hospital in Khan Younis, prompting patients and sheltering Gazans to flee, according to international doctors working there and local journalists capturing events on camera.

Multiple videos show dozens of people carrying blankets, mattresses and other personal belongings leaving the Al Nasser hospital compound in southern Gaza.

Women can be seen carrying children in their arms, while one man carries a boy on his shoulders. The sounds of bombardment and small arms fire can be heard in the background.

Several videos show nearby explosions, likely from airstrikes.

An American doctor, Thaer Ahmad, one of a team of US and British doctors from NGO MedGlobal working at the hospital, told CNN the Israeli military was getting closer.

Earlier Tuesday, the Israeli military said Hamas had recently carried out a launch toward Israel from within the Al Nasser Hospital compound. Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of exploiting civilians as human shields by using hospitals and nearby areas as military sites.

Two Israeli men held hostage in Gaza since October 7 and featured in recent videos released by Hamas have died, according to statements from their home village Tuesday.

Kibbutz Be’eri announced the deaths of Yossi Sharabi and Itai Svirsky in separate statements released with the Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum headquarters. 

Sharabi's brother Eli was also kidnapped from his home in Kibbutz Be'eri and is still held captive by Hamas.

In a separate statement, Kibbutz Be’eri announced the death of Svirsky.  

Both men's bodies are being held by Hamas, the kibbutz said.

Israel’s defense minister said Monday that Hamas was practicing “psychological torment” by releasing videos of hostages.

CNN's Andrew Carey, Amir Tal and Ivana Kottasová contributed to this report.

Qatar says it has brokered a deal between Israel and Hamas that will see medicines delivered to Israeli hostages in Gaza in exchange for the delivery of medicine and humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians.

The medications and aid will leave Doha on Wednesday and head to Egypt before being transported to Gaza, the ministry added. It is unclear when the medicines are expected to reach Gaza.

Relatives of the more than 100 remaining hostages believed to be alive in Gaza have been calling for medications to be passed on to their loved ones.

Read more about the deal.

The Biden administration is expected to re-classify the Yemeni militant group, the Houthis, as a global terrorist entity amid continued attacks in the Red Sea, a source familiar told CNN on Tuesday.

The administration removed the Houthis' Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDTG) designation and de-listed it as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) in February 2021, after it was designated by the Trump administration in its final weeks.

At the time, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the decision to remove the group’s designations was driven by concerns that it could imperil the ability to deliver crucial assistance to the people of Yemen.

He said it was "a recognition of the dire humanitarian situation in Yemen."

Both the designations trigger an asset freeze, but only an FTO designation imposes immigration restrictions on members, according to the State Department. 

The SDGT designation also does not impose sanctions on those who provide "material support" to the group.

As of Tuesday, the administration was not re-imposing the FTO designation.

Pressure has grown on the administration to reimpose the designations as the Iranian-backed militia carries out attacks on vessels in the Red Sea. 

On Tuesday, the group claimed responsibility for an attack on a Greek-owned vessel it said was headed toward Israel. Hours earlier, the US military launched new strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen.