impact and toll it takes on the spouse. the loved ones, it's a lifelong commitment to care for somebody. james brady passed away at his home monday, he was 73 careers old. >> not before he left an imprint here in the u.s. we'll get back to our top story, bring a live report from jerusalem, we are counting down the latest israeli/palestinian cease-fire set to begin 30 minutes from now. when you run a business, you can't settle for slow. that's why i always choose the fastest intern. the fastest printer. the fastest lunch. turkey club. the fastest pencil sharpener.

the fastest elevator. the fastest speed dial. the fastest office plant. so why wouldn't i choose the fastest wifi? i would. switch to comcast business internet and get the fastest wifi included. comcast business. built for business. welcome back to cnn's continuing coverage, everyone. >> we have the headlines for you this hour, here's a live look at

the middle east. a cease-fire is set to go into effect in just 29 minutes. it was brokered by egypt, and agreed upon by israel and hamas. this one is supposed to be a humanitarian truce, it's set to last 72 hours. tony lincoln says the main burden will be on hamas to live up to this cease-fire. also a second american ebola patient is on her way back to the united states at this hour. nancy writebol contracted the disease in liberia, she's expected to join a fellow aid worker kent brantly at an isolation facility, as i understand they're undergoing some treatment. russia says it's holding military exercises near ukraine this week. the move comes as the west accuses vladimir putin amassing troops along the border.

government forces are closing in, the main strong hold of pro russian separatists. >> now back to our top story, israel insists it will cease all activity if hamas does the same, the operation aimed at destroying hamas's tunnel network is continuing. as we approach the cease-fire, matthew, stack things up for us, israel is saying all their operations will end during the cease-fire, this tunneling operation is coming to a close, does israel feel its efforts were successful in this campaign? >> that's certainly the sort of gloss that the israeli defense forces have been putting on all of this.

within the past few minutes we've had a conversation with the israeli military, they destroyed 32 tunnels that they say were districted toward israel and would have been used for terrorist attacks against the citizens of israel. in that sense they say the military objective or one of the main military objectives of these 29 days of fighting and bombardments inside the gaza strip have been completed. ahead of the cease-fire brokered by egyptian mediators, of course. goes into effect in 25 minutes from now officially. israel is withdrawing all of its forces from the gaza strip as well. there have been troops on the ground destroying tunnels. there has been ferocious

fighting and bloodshed as well. they're adopting defensive positions, they'll only conduct future military action if they're fired upon by militants on the ground. they've moved back into their defensive positions. if you read between the lines, there main military objectives have been completed. which is why i think they've signed up to this peace process rather this negotiated 72 hour truce that's been hammered out in the egyptian capitol. errol? >> for the moment it seems as if everyone is moving in the same direction, both sides saying they've made some progress. we see egypt broker this deal which can be extended if things go well. what next now? >> well, i think the situation is this, that they've reached,

both sides have reached a point at which they don't believe anything further can be delivered from more military action. the israelis have achieved some fundamental military action. certainly the palestinian negotiators in cairo were central in negotiating this latest cease-fire, the cease-fire calls on all the parties, including israel to go to the egyptian capital and hammer out a more permanent agreement that would bring about a resumption of military actions. the palestinians want an end to the blockade, it's hoped that this cease-fire can lead to productive negotiations to get both sides something out of this conflict. >> the massive hope so many innocent lives lost, so much damage done, if it can be for

something. we need to see peace take hold for a brief moment first. >> as you talked about, the steps toward peace, one of them will be coming up in 25 minutes. the cease-fire is set to take place 8:00 local time. the palestinians, the conflict has claimed more than 1800 lives. nearly 10,000 others wounded and the idf soldiers, 64 killed and three civilians in israel. for the residents of gaza, they're holding out hope that things can get better. >> they've been bombed. but they still bow in prayer.

>> imam is blind but says he can picture the ruins. >> the mosque is just stone and walls we will rebuild. we say to the israelis, we will crush you he says. >> across the road, a straight a student dreamed of studying human rights in america. that was until the bomb came crashing through his wall. >> this my house, everything is destroyed. everything destroyed. >> his history books and political biographies lie in the debris. 17 years old, he planned to spend summer cramming english and win a scholarship to a u.s. college, but he's lost his focus. >> because this my life. destruction, destroyed about. >> israel targeted some mosques,

accusing gaza militants of stowing weapons inside. others who attend the mosque say they saw no guns or rockets there. generations seem trapped in a recurring nightmare, some say war is the only way. >> they must fight for their country, he says. but up on the roof, one man clings to his dream that will take him far away. >> my dream perhaps is dead, perhaps has left. >> such extensive damage that's been done in so many parts of gaza. the u.s. has consist endly said it defends israel's right to defend itself. they're starting to change its tone. >> the u.s. strongly condemned

the death of palestinian civilian civilians. >> reporter: the u.s. said it was appalled by the israeli shelling on the u.n. shelter that killed at least nine people, and made clear its patience is running thin. >> every day the world is watching, as innocent civilians are killed. as children are having shrapnel pulled out of their back, we all can look here and make an evaluation, there's more to be done. >> israel's ambassador pushed back. >> she does not know all the facts, when she knows all the facts, maybe she'll make a different statement. >> the harshest criticism reflects a growing con senses in washington and abroad that with civilian casualties mountsing it's time for israeli operations to end. but despite the tough talk, the u.s. supplies israel with much of the weapons used in gaza.

edward snowden reportedly detail how nsa programs assist israeli attacks against its enemies. a sharp contrast to 1990, when then president george h.w. bush backed his words with policy, cutting off $10 billion in loan guarantees to israel. over then prime minister shamir's refusal to stop settlement construction. james baker gave israel the white house switchboard number. israel blames john kerry for negotiating last week's cease-fire that hamas violated within hours, officials confirm in a testy phone call afterwards, israeli prime minister netanyahu warned, don't second guess me again when it comes to hamas. shapiro made no apologies for the u.s. working with qatar and turkey to bring hamas to the table. >> we would never put our trust in a terrorist organization, but through the communications that

we had, there was clarity about what the terms were. >> it's unclear whether israel agreed to the cease-fire because of that american criticism or because of its goals in gaza have already been met. there's cautious optimism in washington that the fighting could end. we've been here before. elise labott, cnn the state department. we turn now to iraq, where kurdish forces say they've defended mosul's dam. on sunday there were reports that fighters had captured the country's biggest hydroelectric dam, also gaining control of several towns and oilfields. mill tanneds would not only control the electrical output, they could use it to flood cities, including not just mosul, but baghdad. some 450 kilometers downstream. >> these fighters have been in control of the city of mosul

since june. christians living there are under ever increasing danger. arwa damon is about to show you, the isis militants have now issued a new warning. >> many christians have fled mosul when isis took over. for those who stayed, a final deadline. leave by saturday or face three choices, convert to islam, something of a protection tax or death by the sword. scrawled on the desserted christian homes, property of the islamic state. with video from mosul incredibly hard to come by, this single photograph cnn obtained speaks volumes. the agony of leaving everything behind. coupled with the fear and uncertainty of the future. isis took our luggage and went through it. they took our money, our phones, cameras. a church in mosul up in flames.

all i care about is my daughter's safety. i am not afraid of them. at least i got out with her. iraq's christians are oath too familiar with threats, violence and persecution, the community's older generation remembers a time when all religions lived in harm onny. but the u.s. led invasion and the sunni and shiite extremists who merged in the aftermath changed all that. since 2003, the vast majority of christians have fled the coun y country. this man lived in baghdad for decades, his congregation used to number around 6,000, more than 1200 of them were killed in the last decade. others left the country. he recently return ed.

>> one of the things which really hurt me, was when one of the christians came and said for the first time in 1600 years we had no church. they had lost the most important thing to them. was their worship. and that had gone. >> canon white a british national himself, refuses to leave iraq. he hopes and prays when the day can return that all can live in harm on me in. >> do you think it can be achieved for this generation? >> i don't know. that is what's really difficult. i do not know if we are living

in a generation which will see that unity take place. ♪ >> arwa damon, cnn baghdad. we're going to take a short break, when we come back, we'll be talking more about another region that's facing a lot of turmoil right now. more of cnn's special coverage after this. destroyed or stolen itemsree with brand-new versions. we put members first. join the nation. ♪ nationwide is on your side ♪

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well, there's really no comparison. why pay more for less? call today for a low price on speeds up to 150mbps. and find out more about our two-year price guarantee. comcast business. built for business. russia's tourism industry is feeling the impact of these tougher sanctions that have been imposed by western nations in the ukraine. now that's meant that tens of thousands of russian tourists are stranded aproud. after a string of russian travel agencies failed to deliver. officials are trying to find a way home for more than 27,000

people. the service stopped operating on saturd saturday. if i was stranded there, i don't know how much i would be complaining. eventually you have to get home. it's the fourth russian tour operator to collapse in weeks. >> they're making it difficult for other russians. as phil black explains, this goes up and down the socioeconomic ladder, doesn't matter if they're flying on a budget airline or a private jet. >> the country's first and recently launched budget airport. it is the first high profile casualty. the escalating sanctions, this is a direct result of the latest rounds of sanctions announced by the european union last week. the eu has targeted this airline because it flies to crimea. it's facilitating the legal annexation of the territory.

as a result of this, european partners have started pulling out of deals for maintenance, insurance, leasing and navigation services. it describes the pressure as unprecedented and says it had no choice but to cancel flights and ticket sales. this is the first major russian operation to throw up its hands and say, it cannot go on, because of sanctions. up until now, entities and individuals targeted by sanctions have effectively shrugged them off. some have worn them as a badge of honor, all have said they will continue operating normally, albeit with some inconvenience. one recent admission of inconvenience comes from the russian billionaire, said to be a close associate of vladimir putin. he says the u.s. company is refusing to service and maintain his private jet. it can't fly, it remains parked on the ground here in moscow. asked how he gets around? he says in a worst case

scenario, he can charter flights, but it's not very convenient. phil black, cnn moscow. >> fighting in eastern ukraine may be approaching a pivotal moment. state run media saying forces are preparing for a massive assault on the rebel held donetsk. >> government forces have already reclaimed significant ground during the past week. and the people of donetsk are now living in fear. >> the ukrainian army is fast moving into donetsk. inside the city, great quiet reigns. shelling has pushed some underground into cellars, half built basements in this government building. where dozens of women and children eke out a life sleeping on mattresses they carry down here. twins who find the nightly explosions scary, loud. in this dim labyrinth they

believe the separatists when they tell them, the ukrainian army are american backed fascists set on attacking the ethnic russians here. what are the americans doing? where there is war in the world they have a part. look, these little ones here, they can't afford to leave, have nowhere to go. all the women of the world, raise your voice against these murderers. above ground, the grief and anger are more vivid, near where a school was hit. in a small community, this can change childhoods, daily life for years. they're unworthy because they're fascists. why do they have to shoot innocent people. streets torn up. ukraine's army have used a lot

of artillery in their fast advance, and it's unclear who fired the shells here, that shattered her windows. if i had been asleep here, i would have died, she said. she was staying at her daughters when the shells hit. here you can see the is a voylian cost of the heavy weaponry used by the ukrainian army to make that swift advance happen. and here also, damaged homes, you get a sense of how complex it will be for kiev to win some locals back. here, where shells landed, two people were killed. quiet intimate lives. they buried their loved ones. the war is changing, separatist

militants, the leaders cancelling public appearances, the army moving fast but this sense of the violence entering the final phase, tragedy has already come and is permanent. nick paton walsh, cnn. >> still to come for you, we're going to check back in on the situation in gaza. we're actually just six minutes away from this proposed and agreed upon 72 hour cease-fire. israel outlined how far it's willing to go to uphold its end of the bargain. stay with us, we'll be right back.

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the many civilians in this area. the u.n. spokesperson said the most important issues for them during the cease-fire are security, food, water and shelter that is desperately needed as the civilian death toll continue to rise. there's a lot of hope as we look at these live pictures now of the israeli gaza border that this will hold and hopefully create enough space for a longer term peace plan to be implemented. we're going to connect with our reporters in gaza and israel at the top of the hour. >> probably more telling than the pictures is the sounds. you're not hearing shellings or strikes. >> in the meantime, people in the hawaiian islands are on alert for not one, but two potentially rare hurricanes

making their way in those waters this week. what's happening in this part of the world, pedram. >> we haven't seen hurricanes hit this area in a long, long time. the hawaiian islands, 6400 square miles, the pacific ocean, 64 million square miles. hurricanes very rarely impact this region. pretty impressive on satellite imagery, you take a look at the rarity of impacting hurricanes, only in 1959 hurricane dot, 1992 hurricane made landfall in this region. this storm system again sitting at a category 4 equivalent at this hour, winds about 133 miles per hour, 215 miles per hour. the models suggest it's going to

go directly toward the hawaiian islands later this week, very impressive, very rare when you take a look at this, and karen as well you look at this. the impressive nature of how organized the rotation is with this, only 4% of hurricanes turn out to be this impressive, something to be looking out for here. >> pedram, thanks so much. thanks so much for joining us for the special coverage on cnn. i'm going to make room now for natalie allen. i'll see you back here tomorrow night. >> i'm errol barnett, i'll be back with the latest on the new israeli/hamas cease-fire set to take effect in a few minutes from now. when healthcare changes. when frustration and paperwork decrease. when healthcare becomes simpler.

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