As per reports, significant fighting has been taking place in the al-Maghazi Refugee Camp in central Gaza as of early Thursday (04 January). In addition, repeated airstrikes were reported in the southern metropolis of Khan Younis.

Amos Hochstein, US President Joe Biden’s special envoy, is set to arrive in Israel on Thursday (04 January) as the US intensifies its diplomatic engagement to lower tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.

• On Wednesday (03 January), 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 as a result of the repeated Houthi attacks.
• Governments of the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom have issued a joint ultimatum on Wednesday (03 January) to Houthi rebels to desist from provocative activity in the Red Sea and promote the area as a zone of free trade.
• Amidst the attacks in Southern Lebanon, Germany, Sweden and Canada have warned their respective nationals in the country to leave immediately on Wednesday (03 January).
• Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi has allegedly blamed Israel for twin explosions that killed more than 100 people during a memorial ceremony in southeastern Iran on Wednesday (03 January).
• As of early Thursday (04 January), approximately 100 US soldiers who were deployed to the Middle East during the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas since 07 October, 2023 have since returned home. However, 1,300 soldiers still remain on prepare-to-deploy orders. It’s unclear which soldiers have returned to the US since their deployments.
• US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will depart on Thursday (04 January) for the Middle East, including a stop in Israel, as the United States continues diplomatic consultations on the Israel-Hamas war.
• The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) stated on Thursday (04 January) that Sahar Baruch, who was abducted by Hamas and held in Gaza, was killed in an attempt by troops to extract him from Gaza last week. Two of the soldiers involved in the extraction efforts were injured in the operation.
• The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will hold public hearings in proceedings launched by South Africa against Israel over the Gaza war on Thursday (11 January) and Friday (12 January).