KEY POINTS
- Israeli officials discussing possibility of sparing Hamas leaders as a way of ending war: Report
- ICRC chief said Red Cross "cannot enforce" Israel's demand of access to hostages
- Israeli army said it dismantled Hamas' underground headquarters in northern Gaza
The Israel-Hamas War has entered its 80th day with the Israeli army announcing that it has assassinated a Hamas commander in the Khan Yunis area. The development came after the Israeli military deepened ground operations in what is known as the hometown of Hamas' most senior official in the Gaza Strip, Yahya Sinwar.
Yemeni Houthi rebels continued their disruption of commercial shipping in the Red Sea over the weekend, as two vessels, one reportedly bound to India, were targeted by the rebel army's drones.
Hopes for a respite in the fighting grew over the weekend after reports emerged about Egypt offering the warring sides a three-phase ceasefire deal that could lead to the release of dozens more hostages.
- Exile of Hamas leadership discussed as a possible long-term option: Report
- All roads near Israel's northern border with Lebanon to be shut: National broadcaster
- PIJ leader reiterated to Egypt that no hostages will be freed unless there's a truce: Report
- Israeli tank fires at Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon
- Israeli diplomat slams 'scandalous' Red Cross for failing to pressure Hamas for hostage access
- Maersk preparing to resume operations in the Red Sea
- Shalit deal negotiator says Egypt's offer addresses 2 of Israel's main war goals
- Israeli army has 'degraded' most of Hamas' combat capabilities: IDF spokesperson
- IDF blows up Hamas weapons manufacturing facility
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) suffered another huge loss over the weekend, with 10 soldiers falling in battles in all three regions of the Gaza Strip, marking one of the deadliest days in the Israeli army's ground offensive.
Meanwhile, in the northern border, more communities have announced that roads will be closed starting Monday morning due to worsening attacks by Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday admitted that the war is "exacting a very heavy cost." He reiterated that Israel has no choice but to continue until Hamas can no longer threaten the Israeli people's future.
Netanyahu's words draw from the long Israel-Palestine conflict history laden with deadly violence and bitter words that ignited attacks against Israel by Hamas allies and other Iran-backed terror groups such as the Houthis and Lebanon-based Hezbollah.
The live update has ended.
IDF demolishes Hamas weapons manufacturing site
The Israeli army demolished a Hamas site used "for the production of weapons" and a "concrete factory that was used to build tunnels," the IDF said in a statement Monday afternoon local time.
מייצור אמצעי הלחימה עד השמדתם - תיעוד מפשיטה על מחרטה לייצור אמצעי לחימה, איתור מצבור אמצעי לחימה והשמדתו על ידי צוות הקרב של חטיבה 4 במרחב חאן יונס
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) December 25, 2023
לכל הפרטים: https://t.co/bdx54RPJ4y pic.twitter.com/td5OZQxQOG
Israel refuses visa extension of a UN employee
Israeli foreign minister Eli Cohen said he has instructed the foreign affairs ministry "not to extend the stay visa" of a United Nations employee due to the UN's "conduct" since the Oct. 7 massacre.
The visa request of another UN employee has also been refused. "We will stop working with those who cooperate with the propaganda of the terrorist organization Hamas," he said in a Google-translated post on X.
'Most' of Hamas combat capabilities 'degraded': IDF spox
Majority of Hamas' combat capabilities "have been degraded" following the Israeli army's "very significant achievements" in the northern Gaza Strip in the past few weeks of the war, IDF spokesperson Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus said.
He did say that there are still Hamas combatants who have access to weapons and continue to be elusive due to the massive tunnel networks that the terror group invested in over the past years.
IDF Lt. Col. (res.) @JConricus shared some updates on Israel's battle against Hamas during StandWithUs' December 24th emergency briefing on the #Hamas-#Israel war:@MichaelDickson pic.twitter.com/BQxueRGfCQ
— StandWithUs (@StandWithUs) December 25, 2023
Sirens sound in border communities
Rocket sirens sounded in communities near Israel's southern border with Gaza Monday morning local time.
🚨Rocket sirens sound in Gaza border communities
— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) December 25, 2023
Egypt's reported truce offer addresses 2 of Israel's 3 main war goals: Negotiator
Gershon Baskin, who was among the negotiators that mediated for the Gilad Shalit deal in 2011, expressed confidence in Egypt's capability to deliver a deal that Hamas and Israel may both agree with.
Egypt proposes a 3-phase deal to end the #IsraelHamasWar and free hostages
— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) December 25, 2023
'Without knowing all the details, it seems like the first comprehensive plan to be put down on the table that addresses the two primary goals of Israel in this war' Says @gershonbaskin, who negotiated the… pic.twitter.com/x7xmu2nbSW
"The Egyptians are a very important negotiator here. They have a lot more experience in bringing about ceasefires between Israel and Hamas and Islamic Jihad. They share a common border with us and with Gaza, and they have direct links to the underground Hamas leadership," he told local i24 News Monday.
Baskin said that even without all of the details regarding Egypt's ceasefire-hostage exchange offer to the warring sides, it seems the offer already addresses Israel's two primary goals in the war: to free hostages and to paralyze the terror group's ability to continue governing Gaza.
Car explosion injures 1: Local media
A car explosion in Haifa, a northern port city in Israel, resulted in serious injuries to a 54-year-old man, Israel's national broadcaster Kan reported Monday morning local time.
גבר בן 54 נפצע באורח קשה מפיצוץ רכב בחיפה@CBeyar pic.twitter.com/xLzZy7brFg
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) December 25, 2023
Kibbutz Kfar Aza teens march to Jerusalem to call for hostages' release
Teens from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, which was one of the hardest hit towns when Hamas operatives launched a surprise attack in Israel on Oct. 7, are marching to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv to call for more action in freeing the remaining hostages in Gaza.
The group of teens are now on their second day of marching and have informed both the Education Ministry and their schools about their march, which was not objected, as per local media.
נוער כפר עזה עולה מכיכר החטופים לירושלים: אחרי שישנו הלילה בבית דגן, היום ה-2 לצעדה יוצא לדרך. הבוקר יצעדו הנערות והנערים לבית חשמונאי בקריאה להשיב את כל החטופים עכשיו >> https://t.co/Zffzw0dqUd@efitriger @GLZRadio pic.twitter.com/AJBxg0fv1G
— נועה ברנס Noa Baranes (@noabaranes10) December 25, 2023
IDF assassinates Hamas Khan Yunis commander
An Israeli air strike Sunday killed a commander of Hamas in the Khan Yunis area, the IDF said Monday morning local time.
The news comes as the Israeli army continues its deepened operations in southern Gaza's main city, which is also the known hometown of Sinwar.
ביממה האחרונה מטוס קרב של חיל האוויר בהכוונת מרכז האש של אוגדה 98 חיסל במרחב חאן יונס מפקד בארגון הטרור חמאס. בהמשך חוסלו באמצעות כלי טיס של חיל האוויר מספר מחבלים שזוהו בסמוך לכוחותינו כשבידם רקטה >> pic.twitter.com/WpTNeFYBe6
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) December 25, 2023
Maersk prepares to resume Red Sea shipments
Shipping giant Maersk said Sunday it was now preparing to resume operations in the troubled Red Sea after it halted shipments through the area due to increasing attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels.
The company said the decision was made now that the U.S.-led Operation Prosperity Guardian has been launched to protect shipping vessels cruising in the Red Sea. Maersk said more details will be announced regarding the resumption of its operations in the coming days.
Israeli diplomat calls out 'scandalous' Red Cross over hostage access
Israeli diplomat Avi Pazner said in an interview Sunday that the Red Cross can do more in pressuring Hamas to allow it access to the remaining hostages in the Gaza Strip.
#RedCross fails its humanitarian mission as after 79 days of war, hasn't been able to reach, or assist any of the hostages under #Hamas captivity
— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) December 24, 2023
'I think their behavior is scandalous... They have a very sad record,' Israeli diplomat Avi Pazner tells @benitalevin pic.twitter.com/XbDCPQkSPl
"I think their behavior is simply scandalous," Pazner said. The organization has ways to pressure the terror group, he pointed out. "They have a very sad record," he said, adding that the "only thing" that the Red Cross has done regarding the hostages is to drive freed abductees from one point to another.
Israeli forces attack Hezbollah cell in Lebanon
Israeli troops attacked a "terrorist cell" in the Aaiyat area in Lebanon Sunday, the IDF announced on X, as Israel and Hezbollah continue their tit-for-tat fire exchange.
Following the said attack, two missiles were fired from Lebanese territory, targeting the Avivim area, which is in the far north of Israel. The Israeli army attacked the sources of the launches, the IDF said.
Earlier Sunday night, an Israeli tank also attacked a Hezbollah infrastructure in the Yaron area in southern Lebanon.
Pope Francis laments Christmas war
Pope Francis on Sunday expressed sadness over the continuing war during the Christian holidays that celebrate the birth of Jesus.
"Tonight, our hearts are in Bethlehem, where the Prince of Peace is once more rejected by the futile logic of war," he wrote on X.
Biblical history says Jesus was born in Bethlehem more than 2,000 years ago. The said town is located in the occupied West Bank.
Read the full story here.
PIJ exiled leader visited Cairo to reiterate decision over hostage release
Ziad al-Nakhlala, the exiled leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), on Sunday traveled to Egypt to reiterate the Hamas ally's decision of not releasing any more hostages until a ceasefire is achieved, Reuters reported, citing an official.
The exact number of hostages being held by PIJ is unclear, but the Israeli army previously confirmed that there are other Palestinian factions holding some captives in Gaza.
All roads near northern border to be closed: Local broadcaster
All roads near Israel's northern border with Lebanon will be closed and settlement gates will also be shut down to traffic after the Israeli army assessed the situation, Israeli national broadcaster Kan reported Monday morning local time.
It was reported late Sunday that northern Israel authorities announced the closure of more roads due to Hezbollah's aggression near the border.
Israeli army says it has dismantled Hamas' underground HQ in northern Gaza
The Israeli has completed a "large-scale operation to dismantle the northern underground headquarters of Hamas in Gaza," the IDF announced late Sunday.
The news comes after the Israeli army signaled a shift in focus from the north to the south of the enclave and expanded its operations to the central Gaza Strip.
Israel should work things out with Hamas first before ICRC can access hostages: ICRC chief
Mirjana Spoljaric, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), said in a recent interview with Channel 12 News that Israel should first "negotiate with Hamas" before Red Cross personnel can access hostages still being held in the enclave.
"They have to find this agreement so that we are let know where the hostages are," Spoljaric told the outlet, as per a translation by The Times of Israel.
Spoljaric's comments came amid repeated requests from the Israeli government and other Israel supporters for the ICRC to use its power to pressure Hamas so the organization can access the remaining hostages whose health conditions are unknown.
Freed hostages have warned that the remaining captives are running out of time due to the dire conditions in Hamas captivity.
Israel mulls possibility of sparing Hamas leadership to end war: Report
Israeli officials are discussing the possibility of sparing leaders of Hamas and exiling them as part of a potential path toward ending the war, Israel's national broadcaster Kan reported Sunday, citing unnamed sources familiar with the discussions.
The source noted that there was no concrete proposal about the matter yet and the idea was viewed as a long-term option and was irrelevant at this point in the fighting. A condition to the notion was that the leadership's exile should not harm the Israeli army's war goals.
IDF publishes footage of tunnel network where hostages' bodies were retrieved
The IDF on Sunday published footage of what it said was the tunnel network where the bodies of five hostages were retrieved in the past week.
Three of the hostages whose bodies were recovered in an Israel intelligence operation were captive soldiers, while two were civilians.
The remains of the abductees were discovered "on the area of the Jabalia refugee camp," the IDF said in a statement.
In a centralized intelligence effort, IDF troops located and recovered the bodies of 5 hostages—abducted during the October 7 Massacre—and brought them back to Israel:
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) December 24, 2023
🕯️WO Ziv Dado
🕯️SGT Ron Sherman
🕯️CPL Nik Beizer
🕯️Eden Zacharia
🕯️Elia Toledano
May their memory be a… pic.twitter.com/tq1UlLo8Z2
Netanyahu admits Israel paying 'heavy cost' of war
The Israeli prime minister told government leaders during a meeting at the Kirya in Tel Aviv on Sunday that it was a "difficult" day due to the loss of 10 soldiers in a single day.
He admitted that the war is making Israel pay a huge price, as per a statement from his office. "The war is exacting a very heavy cost from us," he said after expressing condolences to the families of the soldiers who fell in battle. However, he reiterated that Israel has "no choice but to continue to fight" until the army's war goals are achieved.
More communities in northern Israel announce road closures
Following the closure of some roads in 15 communities across the Upper Galilee region late last week, the municipality of Kiryat Shmona has followed suit. Authorities from the two areas announced that some roads will be closed starting Monday morning, local media reported.
Entry to "numerous communities" in the said areas will also be prohibited starting Monday, the authorities said. The decision was made after the IDF's assessment.
The road closures come amid increasing attacks by Iran-backed Hezbollah from Yemen. The militant group, which is a much larger paramilitary power than Hamas, previously expressed support for Hamas' war against Israel.
The Upper Galilee Regional Council shut some roads in the area Thursday that affected 15 communities.
10 soldiers fell in weekend battles across Gaza Strip
The Israeli army lost 10 soldiers Saturday in fierce battles across the northern, southern and central regions of the Gaza Strip, the IDF announced on its tribute page for fallen soldiers Sunday.
- Maj. Nadav Issachar Farhi, 30 – combat medic in the 7810th Battalion of the 11th Reserve Brigade
- Maj. Eliyahu Meir Ohana, 28 – 7810th Battalion of the 11th Reserve Brigade
- Capt. Oshri Moshe Botschak, 22 – team commander in the 933rd Nahal Brigade
- Sgt. Gal Hershko, 20 – platoon commander in the 603rd Engineering Battalion of the 7th Armored Brigade
- Sgt. David Bogdanovskyi, 19 – 603rd Engineering Battalion of the 7th Armored Brigade
- Sgt. Rui Elias, 21 – 603rd Engineering Battalion of the 7th Armored Brigade
- Sgt. Itamar Shemen, 21 – paramedic with the 77th Battalion of the 7th Armored Brigade
- Sgt. Oral Bashan, 20 – 603rd Engineering Battalion of the 7th Armored Brigade
- Sgt. Elisaf Shoshan, 23 – 6646th Battalion of the 646th Reserve Paratroopers Brigade
- Sgt. Ohad Ashur, 23 – 6646th Battalion of the 646th Reserve Paratroopers Brigade
Egypt offers three-stage ceasefire deal to Israel, Hamas: Reports
Egypt, Qatar's co-mediator in talks for a ceasefire in Gaza, offered to the warring sides a three-phase ceasefire agreement that will include the release of dozens more of hostages still being held by Hamas, multiple Hebrew media outlets reported Sunday.
In the first stage of the truce plan, the two sides will stop fighting for two weeks in exchange for the release of 40 hostages in Hamas captivity including women, children and elderly men, most especially those with health conditions.
Also in the first stage, Israel would free 120 Palestinian prisoners under the same categories as those being held by the terror group. More humanitarian aid should enter the Gaza Strip, and Israeli tanks will need to withdraw.
For the second phase, Egypt will sponsor a "Palestinian national talk" that looks to establish a technocratic government in the West Bank and Gaza for rebuilding the war-torn enclave. An Israeli official told Walla that the second stage will also include the exchange of bodies between Israel and Hamas.
Finally, the third phase will include a "comprehensive" truce – an "all for all" agreement – for the release of a yet-to-be-determined number of Palestinian detainees, and the freedom of all remaining hostages in Gaza, including captive soldiers.
The said stage will also include the Israeli army's complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip to allow Gazans to return to their original residences. Walla's Barak Ravid reported that the final phase will also include the establishment of "a government of professionals not affiliated with Hamas in the Gaza Strip" with the support of the mediators and Washington, as per a Google translation.
Both parties have yet to reject the offer, multiple outlets reported, but the Israeli war cabinet is expected to discuss the offer Monday.
Norwegian-flagged ship, another bound to India attacked by Houthi drones: US
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Sunday that two commercial ships sailing in the southern Red Sea reported Saturday night that they were under attack. The Norwegian-flagged vessel reported "a near miss of a Houthi one-way attack drone." No injuries or damage were reported.
The "Indian-flagged" M/V Saibaba was also "hit" by a Houthi drone Saturday night, as per the U.S. military. The said crude oil tanker is Gabon-owned, CENTCOM said, but the Indian Navy denied that the vessel, which was reportedly bound for India, was Indian-flagged. The Indian Navy did confirm that the vessel had crew members from India and that they were safe.
On December 23 two Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles were fired into international shipping lanes in the Southern Red Sea from Houthi controlled areas of Yemen. No ships reported being impacted by the ballistic missiles.
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) December 24, 2023
Between 3 and 8 p.m. (Sanaa time), the USS LABOON (DDG… pic.twitter.com/jcBisbXBaS
Following the attack reports, the USS Laboon, "as part of Operation Prosperity Guardian (OPG)," responded to the mayday calls. The destroyer also shot down four drones from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen that tried to attack it.
