January 3, 2024 Israel-Hamas war

Our live coverage of Israel's war against Hamas has moved here.

Water has been restored in some parts of central Gaza, the municipality of Deir al Balah in central Gaza said.

The municipality said that in conjunction with the Palestinian Water Authority and other municipalities, it had been able to repair the Makrut water line, which is a critical source of clean water for many neighborhoods in central Gaza.

The repair comes as fierce fighting and Israeli strikes affect several areas of the Gaza Strip, according to the Israel Defense Forces and sources in Gaza.

The Jabalya refugee camp was struck by a substantial explosion which resulted in several civilian casualties. The Hamas-controlled Health Ministry in Gaza said a family home was targeted, which resulted in “tens" of people "killed and injured."

The death toll in Gaza has surpassed 22,300 people since October 7, according to the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry in Gaza.

Here's what else has happened today:

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) said it will hold public hearings January 11 and 12 regarding proceedings South Africa initiated last week against Israel over allegations of genocide for its war against Hamas in Gaza.

The hearings will be dedicated to South Africa’s request for “provisional measures,” which are emergency measures the court can order to preserve the rights of a party.

In its request on Friday, South Africa asked the ICJ to indicate provisional measures to “protect against further, severe and irreparable harm to the rights of the Palestinian people under the Genocide Convention” and “to ensure Israel’s compliance with its obligations under the Genocide Convention not to engage in genocide, and to prevent and to punish genocide,” the court said in a press release.

South Africa is scheduled to present its oral arguments on January 11, and Israel is set to do the same the following day. 

Israel's government spokesperson said Tuesday that Israel will appear before the ICJ at The Hague “to dispel South Africa's absurd blood libel."

The United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO) urged the importance of ensuring the safety and security of global supply chains, particularly in the Red Sea, during a UN Security Council meeting on Wednesday. 

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez condemned the recent series of attacks on international vessels claimed by Yemen's Houthi rebels, emphasizing that such acts disrupt trade and are unacceptable under international law. 

Dominguez highlighted the economic and logistical repercussions of these threats while noting that 18 shipping companies have rerouted around South Africa, adding 10 days to journeys and increasing freight rates. 

Dominguez said the IMO remains committed to monitoring the situation and collaborating with member states, industry partners and naval forces. 

More background: Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels are stepping up their strikes on ships in the Red Sea, which they say are revenge against Israel for its military campaign in Gaza.

The attacks have forced some of the world’s biggest shipping and oil companies to suspend transit through one of the world’s most important maritime trade routes, which could potentially cause a shock to the global economy.

Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi blamed Israel for twin explosions that killed more than 100 people during a memorial ceremony in southeastern Iran on Wednesday.

Raisi, who is the head of the Iranian government, warned that Israel's punishment will be "regrettable and severe."

The Israeli military told CNN it had "no comment" on the explosions in Iran. No group has claimed responsibility for the blasts which Iran has called a "terror attack."

US State Department spokesperson Matt Miller told reporters Wednesday that the US does not "have any independent information" about the explosions, and that the State Department has “no reason to believe that Israel was involved.”

Some background: The blasts, at least one of which was caused by a bomb, according to Iranian state TV, came on the fourth anniversary of the death of military commander Qasem Soleimani.

The first explosion was 2,300 feet (700 meters) from Soleimani’s grave, and the second was 0.6 miles (1 kilometer) away as pilgrims visited the site, Iranian media said.

Soleimani was killed by a US airstrike ordered by former President Donald Trump at Baghdad International Airport four years ago Wednesday.

Israel’s military released a video Wednesday that it claims shows the dismantlement of a tunnel route it accuses Hamas of excavating under Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest medical complex in Gaza.

According to the Israel Defense Forces, the underground tunnel route was dismantled on November 24 by special forces and soldiers from the Yahalom Unit, which specializes in engineering tasks.

The IDF claims the hospital was not damaged and that humanitarian activities were able to continue while it dismantled the tunnel route, which it says spanned more than 250 meters.

CNN cannot independently verify the IDF’s claims.

Israel accused Hamas of developing the tunnel system beneath the hospital and connecting it to nearby tunnel shafts and other Hamas centers to carry out “terrorist operations," which Hamas has repeatedly denied. 

The IDF also insisted that Hamas systematically operates in Gaza hospitals and adjacent areas, "using the residents as human shields." Hamas has previously denied using the hospital as a command hub. 

Representatives from the United States, the United Kingdom and Israel expressed concern over attacks on shipping in the Red Sea during a United Nations Security Council meeting Wednesday.

Gilad Erdan, Israel's representative to the UN, highlighted the escalating threats to maritime trade posed by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who have claimed many of the reported attacks.

Erdan framed the Houthis as a harbinger of regional and global destabilization.

The Israeli ambassador emphasized that the repeated attacks on maritime vessels are not isolated incidents, but a “grim glimpse” into a potentially “chaotic future,” especially in the Middle East, if decisive action is not taken.

Erdan placed the blame on Iran, which is accused of funding the Houthis.

Erdan stressed the urgency of responding to these threats to prevent a future where terror organizations and regimes operate with “impunity” as he called for “immediate and robust action” from the international community to tackle the issue head-on. 

Ambassador Chris Lu, the US representative, asserted that Houthi forces pose significant threats to the "freedom of navigation, regional peace, security, and global commerce."

Lu noted that a multinational naval operation had been launched to protect ships in the southern part of the Red Sea and deter "lawless non-state actors."

The UK’s representative, Ambassador James Kariuki, emphasized the severe economic and humanitarian impact of the attacks, driven by the use of UAVs, missiles, and small boats, and demanded the release of the ENV Galaxy leader and its international crew. 

Some background: Houthi forces in Yemen have been targeting commercial ships in the Red Sea, claiming the attacks as revenge against Israel.

The Houthis are believed to have been armed and trained by Iran, and there are fears that their attacks could escalate Israel’s war against Hamas into a wider regional conflict.

Approximately 100 US soldiers who deployed to the Middle East in the wake of the Hamas October 7, 2023, attack have since returned home, an Army spokesperson told CNN on Wednesday. 

Lodewick added that 1,300 soldiers still remain on prepare-to-deploy orders. It's unclear which soldiers have returned to the US since their deployments. 

Roughly 1,200 service members total were deployed to the Middle East in the days following the Hamas attack as part of a broader deterrence message to keep the conflict from spilling out into the region.

The troops deployed included those assigned to Patriot and THAAD batteries from Fort Liberty, North Carolina, Fort Bliss, Texas, and Fort Sill, Oklahoma, as well as troops providing explosive ordnance disposal, communications and other support capabilities. 

Hamas recently issued an ultimatum to Israel that there must be a permanent ceasefire in order for the remaining hostages in Gaza to be released.

However, the group has since engaged in negotiations, indicating that Hamas is not entirely wedded to its earlier ultimatum, two sources familiar with the discussions tell CNN. 

Israel’s rejection of Hamas' initial demand was expected, a source said, but the discussions since have been seen as an opening and an initial step in ongoing and complex negotiations.

While the back-and-forth is ongoing between Israel and Hamas — with the US and Qatar playing mediating roles — there is currently little traction in negotiations, both sources added. 

One source called it “super slow progress” but said the fact that both Israel and Hamas agreed that negotiations should resume is a huge step in and of itself.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday said that Hamas appeared to have “softened slightly” following an ultimatum it had previously leveled on the hostages front. He did not elaborate on the specifics of the ultimatum.

Israel is now expected to give Qatar some feedback and try to start working toward common ground, one of the people familiar with the talks said. 

Six Americans remain unaccounted for since Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

Last week, Judi Weinstein Haggai, a dual Israeli-American citizen, was confirmed dead by her kibbutz. Her husband was also confirmed dead two weeks ago. Just four American hostages have been released since the start of the war. 

US President Joe Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan spoke on Tuesday with Israel’s Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer to discuss, among other issues, ongoing efforts to secure the release of the remaining hostages, according to White House spokesperson John Kirby.