Palestinian twins Uday and Hamza Abu Odah were born in Gaza, less than a month after the conflict began on October 7, 2023. Their lives have been defined and encompassed by Israel's devastating military offensive. Here is their story.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Twin brothers Odeh and Hamza Abu-Odeh were born in Gaza shortly after the start of Israel's ground offensive, following the October 7th Hamas attack in southern Israel. Since their birth, the family has endured severe hardship, including displacement, lack of food and water, and the death of the twins' father while he searched for food. 

The family now lives in a crowded tent encampment, where the twins suffer from malnutrition and developmental delays. Their mother, Iman, expresses hope for a lasting ceasefire and a peaceful future for her children, but remains concerned about the lasting impact of the conflict on the new generation in Gaza.

The Gaza twins who have known nothing but war

For these almost 2-year-old Palestinian twins, a trip to the Gaza beach is pure joy, a time when they can play happily in the waves with their family. It's an experience far removed from their daily reality, a life that has known nothing but war. Here is their story. Odeh and Hamza Abu-Odeh were born just days after Israel launched its devastating ground offensive in the enclave, in response to the deadly October 7th Hamas attack in southern Israel. And since their birth on November 2nd, 2023, life has been like a nightmare, says their mother. These two years were very harsh. The feeling cannot be described. I cannot describe it to you. They were extremely harsh, oppressive to the utmost. The situation was very hard. There was hunger, poverty, shelling, fear, suffering, no water and no food. Her babies arrived in a maternity wing crammed with wounded Palestinians. Baby formula, diapers and other essentials were hard to come by, since Israel had cut off all supplies into Gaza at the start of the war. Weeks into the war, it allowed some aid to enter, but only a fraction of what was needed, aid agencies said. Iman says she wasn't eating enough to produce sufficient breast milk for her babies. So she asked other mothers in the ward if they could spare extra milk powder. With few beds available at the hospital, Iman says she left with her twins on the day they were born, walking back to her shelter over a half a mile away. It's been two years, two years of war, two years of homelessness, two years of displacement. Heavy Israeli bombardment has forced the family to flee and relocate several times. Iman, the twins and their siblings now live in a tent in this crowded beach encampment in Mawassi in western Han Yunis. Notably absent is their father. He was killed on July 27th last year as he searched for food for his children. Now I am both the mother and the father, searching for a source of income for my children, trying to find money so we can survive. Israel says it tries to avoid killing civilians, but that Hamas hides among the civilian population and the military strikes the group wherever it emerges. Hamas denies hiding among civilians. Iman says two of her children have been wounded as they sought aid. And the danger of it happening again is far too real. I set my children under gunfire, under death, under very difficult conditions and strikes just so they can bring me daily food. Like many other Palestinian children, lack of food and nutrition is taking a toll on the twins' development. A doctor said they have calcium deficiency. At nearly two years old, the boys still barely walk and dance with their feet planted to the ground. Iman says they speak only a few words. One of them is mama. Life in their crowded camp is trying. Iman bathes Odeh and Hamza in the same small bucket she uses to wash clothes, hauling the water across the camp in heavy plastic containers. There's constant noise and smells from the sewage pits each family digs next to their tents. Israel has embraced a U.S. plan for Gaza, and Hamas has partially accepted it. But it's unclear when or whether it would end the fighting. We hope they won't fail, like every time. Each time, they tell us there will be a cease-fire, and it fails, God willing, this time, it will be truly serious and real, a permanent cease-fire, a cease-fire for life, no wars, no fighting. We want to end this war and this bloodshed. We want to protect these lives. Iman wants a future of peace for her children, with a home, food and an education, but frightened and hungry. She listens to them grumbling in their sleep, accompanied by a soundtrack of distant shooting and war planes. And Iman worries that her boys, and the new generation of Gazans, will be forever scarred.

Leaders in the U.S. state of Illinois are taking President Donald Trump to court, looking to stop the deployment of hundreds of National Guard troops to the streets of Chicago. The White House argues that soldiers are needed to prevent so-called lawlessness.

Chicago

Chicago declares 'ICE Free Zones' amid clashes over raids

French President Emmanuel Macron has given Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu 48 hours to stabilize the government following his sudden resignation. Lecornu stepped down hours after naming his cabinet, amid criticism and growing political instability in a parliament without a clear majority.

Paris

Macron gives Lecornu two days to salvage government after resignation

Microchip maker AMD got a huge boost in the race to supply the artificial intelligence revolution. OpenAI, the company behind major AI platform ChatGPT, announced a deal for AMD to provide the AI startup with its high-performance processing chips starting next year.

Santa Clara

Rise of AI

AI chipmaker AMD strikes major deal with OpenAI

It's a race against time to save the remaining 200 or so stranded climbers on Mount Everest after a massive storm dumped at least three feet of snow over the weekend.

Gorakshep

About 200 Mount Everest climbers still stranded

Clashes broke out at ICE facilities in Chicago and Portland after President Trump ordered National Guard troops into both cities. The move has intensified tensions between federal authorities and local officials amid ongoing protests.

Clashes erupt as Trump deploys National Guard

Former NFL quarterback and Fox Sports analyst Mark Sanchez was charged with felony battery involving serious bodily injury, and could face up to six years in jail, according to Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears.

Indianapolis

Mark Sanchez charged with felony, could face up to 6 years in jail

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson announced on Monday a lawsuit against the Trump administration over plans to deploy the National Guard to Chicago.

Illinois, Chicago sue Trump over National Guard deployment

A selloff in French markets gathered pace after French media reports that Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has resigned. French stocks fell sharply, government bond yields were up 8 basis points and the euro was last down 0.65% at $1.1667.

French markets tumble after PM Lecornu resigns

Former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez has been charged with battery, intoxication, and unlawful entry after allegedly attacking a 69-year-old truck driver in Indianapolis. The driver stabbed Sanchez in self-defense, believing his life was in danger. Sanchez is currently hospitalised.

Ex-NFL star Mark Sanchez faces criminal charges in alleged assault

U.S. President Donald Trump's battle with Democratic-led cities is heating up after 200 California National Guard troops have been reassigned to Oregon, despite a judge blocking the deployment to Portland.

Portland

Trump sends National Guard to Oregon despite court block

Israeli planes and tanks pounded areas across the Gaza Strip overnight and on Sunday, destroying several residential buildings, witnesses said, as Palestinians hoped a U.S. plan to end the war would soon ease their suffering.

Jerusalem

Middle East Conflict

Israeli strikes on Gaza continue ahead peace talks

Amenhotep III ruled between 1390 and 1350 BC and was one of the most prominent pharaohs of ancient Egypt.

Cairo

Pharaoh's tomb reopened after more than 20 years of renovations

President Trump has thrust the U.S. military into a critical role deterring illegal crossings into this country at the southern border. As Charlie D'Agata reports, their presence is having unintended consequences.

Santa Teresa

U.S. military presence at southern border angers hunters, hikers

A new CBS News poll shows a majority of Americans disapprove of how President Trump and congressional Republicans and Democrats have handled the government shutdown. Willie James Inman reports on that and Mr. Trump's latest National Guard moves.

Washington

Americans fed up with shutdown, poll finds

Negotiators between Hamas and Israel will begin meetings in Cairo on Monday (October 6) for the release of the remaining 20 hostages and a prisoner swap.  There is a lot of pressure on both sides to get a deal done.

Negotiations between Israel, Hamas set to begin

Japan's ruling party picked hardline conservative Sanae Takaichi as its head on Saturday, putting her on course to become the country's first female prime minister in a move set to jolt investors.

Tokyo

Right-wing Sanae Takaichi set to be Japan's first female premier

For a second day, Israel is launching more strikes on the Strip defying demands from the U.S. to stop attacks. At least 61 Palestinians were killed in attacks across the Strip.

Israel intensifies Gaza bombardment despite U.S. pressure to stop

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he hopes to announce the release of all the hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza in one fell swoop in the coming days.

Netanyahu: Gaza peace deal is 'close'

The government shutdown reached its fourth day on Saturday. The Senate on Friday went home after another failed vote to keep the government open. Willie James Inman has the latest.

No signs of compromise as government shutdown continues

Tensions are high in Portland, Oregon, as National Guardsmen could possibly be deployed there as early as this weekend. Federal agents and demonstrators squared off again, but Portland's mayor and chief of police say they don't need the help.

Protests in Portland as National Guard mobilizes

“I believe they are ready for a lasting peace.” the U.S president wrote on social media after Hamas announced it was willing to release the hostages and hand over power to other Palestinians.

Trump urges Israel to stop bombing Gaza after peace breakthrough

Israel slowed its Gaza offensive on Saturday after U.S. President Donald Trump demanded it stop bombing in response to Hamas saying it was ready to free hostages under the U.S. plan to end the two-year-old war.

Could the Trump deal end the Gaza war?

Sanae Takaichi has been elected as the head of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and is therefore likely to become the next prime minister and the first woman to lead the country.

Japan's ruling LDP elects first female prime minister

U.S. President Donald Trump has acknowledged Hamas's partial acceptance of a ceasefire proposal drafted with Israel, and ordered Israel to stop bombing the Gaza strip.

Trump orders Israel to stop bombing Gaza

The state Attorney-General says the city is violating the law by sharing license data with federal agencies. The El Cajon mayor has accused the state of 'bullying' cities.

El Cajon

State sues El Cajon over license plate data

Sean "Diddy" Combs was sentenced on Friday to more than four years in prison on two prostitution-related charges. It follows a roughly two-month-long trial where Combs was acquitted on more serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking.

Manhattan

Sean "Diddy" Combs sentenced to over four years in prison

The United States Senate on Friday (October 3) failed to advance competing plans to extend federal funding and end the government shutdown, likely pushing the funding lapse into at least next week.

U.S. Senate fails to pass funding bill to end government shutdown

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced on social media another strike targeting a vessel allegedly connected to narco-trafficking off the coast of Venezuela. CBS News' Reed Cowan reports.

Hegseth announces another strike against vessel off Venezuela coast

Sarah Mullally has been named as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury in the 1,400-year history of the role, but her appointment immediately drew criticism from conservative Anglicans mainly based in Africa who oppose women bishops.

Canterbury

Church of England names first female archbishop

Israeli forces have intercepted the last vessel of an aid flotilla headed for Gaza. The convoy was in international waters, prompting accusations that Israel violated maritime law. Protests have been staged in cities around the world.

Breakdown