Our coverage of the Israel-Hamas war has moved here.
November 11, 2023 Israel-Hamas war
By Chris Lau, Andrew Raine, Sophie Tanno, Adrienne Vogt and Tori B. Powell, CNN
Updated 12:14 AM ET, Sun November 12, 2023
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French president calls on people to stand up against the "resurgence of unbridled antisemitism"
From CNN's Heather Law in Atlanta
French President Emmanuel Macron called on his people to stand up against "the unbearable resurgence of unbridled antisemitism," in a letter published Saturday night by French newspaper Le Parisien.
More than one thousand antisemitic acts were committed in France in one month, Macron wrote, adding that this number is three times more than the number of hate attacks executed against French Jews all of last year.
Macron emphasized that this in turn has caused the Jewish community to experience "legitimate anguish," saying they are going as far as to erase their names to protect themselves.
"A France where our Jewish citizens are afraid is not France. A France where French people are afraid because of their religion or their origin is not France," the letter read.
Macron went on to reiterate his belief that Israel has the right to defend itself, saying "putting Hamas out of harm's way is a necessity," while simultaneously stressing that "this defense must be accompanied by the resumption of political dialogue and ensure the protection of civilians and hostages in Gaza."
"We want justice, peace and security for the people of Israel, for the Palestinian people and for the states of the region," Macron said. "We want French unity."
The letter was released on the eve of Sunday's historic march against antisemitism being held in the French capital. Macron addressed the march in his letter saying he sees it "as a reason for hope."
This comes a day after Macron called for a ceasefire in Gaza, saying it is "the only solution" to the war between Israel and Hamas.
Police arrest at least 126 as pro-Palestinian rally draws counter-protests in London
From CNN's Eve Brennan in London and Heather Law in Atlanta
At least 126 people were arrested in London on Saturday following a large pro-Palestinian demonstration and counter-protests, according to London’s Metropolitan Police.
Police intercepted a group of 150 people who were launching fireworks toward the end of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PCS) march that attracted over 300,000 people, Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist said in a statement issued Saturday afternoon.
Arrests were made after some of the fireworks struck officers in the face, the statement read.
A CNN team on the ground also heard shouts and observed a heavy police presence as a group of far-right protesters tried to storm a war memorial, the Cenotaph, on Armistice Day.
The English Defense League (EDL) is a far-right group founded by Tommy Robinson who, according to Robinson’s account on X, was at the Cenotaph to pay his respects on Saturday.
"The extreme violence from the right wing protesters towards the police today was extraordinary and deeply concerning," Twist wrote.
Nine officers were injured while confronting the violent crowd getting to the Cenotaph while a remembrance service was taking place, Twist explained. Two officers will require hospital treatment after sustaining a fractured elbow and a suspected dislocated hip.
Several officers are still deployed across central London in case of anymore "outbreaks of disorder," Twist concluded.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak condemned the violent scenes in London on Saturday in a statement posted to social media.
“I condemn the violent, wholly unacceptable scenes we have seen today from the EDL and associated groups and Hamas sympathisers attending the National March for Palestine. The despicable actions of a minority of people undermine those who have chosen to express their views peacefully,” said Sunak.
“All criminality must be met with the full and swift force of the law. That is what I told the Met Police Commissioner on Wednesday, that is what they are accountable for and that is what I expect,” Sunak continued in his statement, adding that he will be meeting the Met Police Commissioner in the coming days.
'Bring them home now,' hostage families tell Israeli government
From Tamar Michaelis
The families of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli government to do more to bring the hostages and missing persons home.
"We await the Israeli government to fulfill the basic contract that was broken. We already paid the price on October 7, now it's your turn,” said a press release from the Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum headquarters.
Families of the hostages held a rally on Saturday in Tel Aviv, Israel, which also included in attendance the former Israeli president Reuven Rivlin.
More than 200 hostages were taken into Gaza following the Hamas attack on October 7.
The families are demanding that the international community and the Red Cross ensure medical assistance for the hostages, “as they do for Hamas,” the press release said.
“Our family members are imprisoned underground in Gaza. Bring them home now,” the statement said.
"Two hundred and thirty nine innocent people went to sleep on the night of October 6 and within less than 24 hours we lost all contact with them, without a drop of information. Where is the Red Cross, the organization that is supposed to care for human rights? Why haven't they demanded to see the condition of the infants,” said Maayan Zin, mother of Dafna (15) and Ella (8) who were kidnapped from Kibbutz Nahal Oz in Israel with their father.
Noam Perry, whose 79-year-old father, Haim Perry, was taken from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz in Israel said there can be no healing until the release of all the hostages.
“The living hostages can still be returned and we must not stop until they come home. My father is alive and only God knows how he endures in the underground tunnels at age 80. They are waiting for us to save them. We await the prime minister to fulfill the most basic contract he has with Israel's citizens that was violated,” Perry said.
Rivlin said he joins the families in the demand to return all hostages home, and urged world leaders to get information and act within all arenas to free the hostages.
The former president said he also contacted the Red Cross this week and asked them, "How should we respond to your demand to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza when you do not compel Hamas to allow you to visit all the hostages?”
Orly Gilboa, mother of 19-year-old Daniela Gilboa, who was kidnapped from a party in Re'im, Israel said, "I've finished the stage of hugs and empathy. I want to see actions that will bring my daughter and the rest of the hostages home now.”
At least 40 journalists killed in five weeks of conflict, Committee to Protect Journalists says
From CNN's Kareem El Damanhoury
The number of journalists killed in the Israel-Hamas conflict since October 7 has increased to 40, according to a statement by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on Saturday.
The most recent to lose his life was photojournalist Ahmed Al-Qara who was killed in a strike near Khan Younis on Friday, the CPJ said, citing the Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate and the Cairo-based Al-Dostor newspaper.
The death toll of journalists is comprised of 35 Palestinians, four Israelis, and one Lebanese, according to the CPJ.
The journalism advocacy group says the conflict since October 7 has been the deadliest period for journalists since CPJ starting tracking in 1992.
"CPJ is also investigating numerous unconfirmed reports of other journalists being killed, missing, detained, hurt, or threatened, and of damage to media offices and journalists’ homes," the statement added.
UNICEF calls for protection of Gaza hospitals and children amid "deeply worrying" reports of situation in Al-Shifa
From CNN’s Kareem El Damanhoury and Abeer Salman
UNICEF is calling for the protection of hospitals and children in Gaza amid “deeply worrying reports” of the situation in the biggest hospital in the strip.
The UN agency, responsible for providing humanitarian aid to children worldwide called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
“Al Shifa hospital in Gaza is without power and we are seeing deeply worrying reports of premature babies dying in incubators,” UNICEF said in its statement released early Sunday local time.
The Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health in Gaza also reported early Sunday shelling in the vicinity of the Al-Shifa Hospital, warning that it is endangering the lives of patients and the displaced people sheltering inside.
CNN cannot independently verify this claim. The Israeli military earlier said there were "clashes" between its troops and Hamas militants around the hospital on Saturday, and rejected suggestions the hospital is under siege.
Earlier, three newborn babies died in the Al-Shifa Hospital after it went “out of service” amid intense fighting in the area, according to the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health in Gaza.
Palestinian Red Crescent says less than half its ambulances still functioning in Gaza
From CNN's Abeer Salman
After more than a month of fierce fighting in the Gaza Strip, only seven out of 18 ambulances run by the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) are still working, according to a statement from the PRCS on Saturday.
The few remaining ambulances still working are at risk of “completely ceasing operations in the coming hours” due to a lack of fuel, the statement said.
“Our teams are witnessing numerous casualties and wounded individuals, yet they face challenges reaching them due to Israeli military targeting of ambulance vehicles approaching the affected areas,” the PRCS said.
On November 4, Israel claimed responsibility for an attack on a convoy of ambulances outside Gaza City’s Al-Shifa Hospital, according to CNN at the time.
The PRCS said one of its ambulances was damaged in that attack when a shell fell near the convoy.
Israel said it had targeted the ambulance convoy because it was being used by Hamas, according to a statement from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) at the time of the attack.
WHO "gravely concerned" over Al-Shifa Hospital after losing communication with contacts
From CNN’s Kareem El Damanhoury; Previous Reporting from CNN's Eve Brennan and Kareem Khadder
The World Health Organization (WHO) says it has lost communication with its contacts in Gaza City’s Al-Shifa Hospital.
“We assume our contacts joined tens of thousands of displaced people and are fleeing the area,” it said in a statement early Sunday.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the reports on the situation at Gaza’s biggest hospital as “deeply worrisome and frightening.”
“WHO is gravely concerned about the safety of health workers, hundreds of sick and injured patients, including babies on life support, and displaced people who remain inside the hospital,” he said in a statement on Sunday.
On Saturday, Doctors Without Borders said hostilities around Al-Shifa were "non-stop."
“The ambulances can no longer move to collect the injured, and non-stop bombardment prevents patients and staff from evacuating,” the organization said in a statement.
Jordan air-drops medical aid to field hospital in Gaza for a second time
From CNN's Caroline Faraj and Kareem El Damanhoury; Previous reporting from CNN's Zeena Saifi and Jomana Karadsheh
Jordan's Air Force used parachutes to air-drop medical aid to the Jordanian field hospital in Gaza for a second time, the Prime Ministry of Jordan announced in a statement early Sunday local time.
The relief operation was in cooperation with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar to "enhance and develop the hospital's capabilities and increase the ability of medical personnel to provide health and treatment services to alleviate the burden of the people in the Gaza Strip," the statement added.
The operation comes hours after Jordan, the UAE, Qatar and other countries partaking in the Joint Arab and Islamic summit in Riyadh issued a statement demanding an end to what was described as Israeli “war crimes and barbaric, brutal and inhumane massacres” in Gaza.
On November 6, Jordan air-dropped its first medical aid package to the field hospital in the strip.