The war between Israel and Hamas, which entered its 80th day on Monday, was sparked by a bloody and unprecedented attack by the Palestinian Islamist movement on Israeli soil from the Gaza Strip on October 7.
• Also read: Pope denounces “desperate humanitarian situation” in Gaza
• Also read: Soldiers killed in Gaza: “We are paying a very high price for the war,” says Netanyahu
About 1,140 people, mostly civilians, were killed in that attack and about 250 were kidnapped and taken to Gaza, according to an AFP count based on the latest Israeli figure.
According to the army, 129 of these hostages are still in Gaza. At the end of November, as part of a ceasefire, around a hundred people were released in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
After the Oct. 7 attack, Israel vowed to “destroy Hamas,” shelling and besieging Palestinian territory and conducting a ground operation there since Oct. 27.
Hamas' health ministry on Sunday reported 20,424 deaths since Israeli bombing began, mostly civilians.
AFP
Here are the latest developments:
After a deadly weekend, Israeli attacks in the besieged Gaza Strip continued on Monday. According to the Hamas Ministry of Health, 12 people were killed in a bomb attack near the small village of Al-Zawaida (center) early Monday.
According to the same source, ten people from the same family were killed in an Israeli attack on their home in Jabaliya camp in northern Gaza. At least 18 people were killed in strikes in Khan Younes. AFP could not independently verify these figures.
The Israeli army said on Monday it was “investigating” an attack that took place on Sunday in the al-Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. According to the Hamas Ministry of Health, at least 70 people were killed in the attack.
AFP
On Monday morning, the Israeli army announced the deaths of two new soldiers, bringing to 156 its casualties since the ground offensive in the Palestinian territory began on October 27.
In his traditional Christmas message on Monday, the pope denounced “the desperate humanitarian situation” of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and called for the release of hostages still held and a ceasefire.
A new mission led by the World Health Organization (WHO) visited hospitals in Gaza City on Saturday, notably enabling the delivery of more than 19,000 liters of fuel oil to Al-Chifa Hospital, most of the Palestinian territory besieged by the Israeli army November, its boss Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced on Sunday evening on X.
“The behavior of the United Nations since October 7 is a disgrace to the organization and the international community,” Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen wrote on -Institutions.
Palestinians released after being detained by the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip told AFP that they were tortured in detention, something the army denies.
“They tied our hands behind our backs for two days. We were not given anything to eat or drink, nor were we allowed to use the toilet, only beatings and beatings,” said Nayef Ali, 22, one of the released prisoners.
AFP