what to remember from Monday, December 25

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Gaza on Monday, promising an intensification of the military offensive.

The offensive did not weaken on Christmas Day. Around a hundred Palestinians have been killed in recent hours in massive Israeli strikes, according to the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Gaza on Monday, December 25, promising an intensification of the military offensive against the devastated and besieged territory. Here’s what to remember from this 80th day of war between Israel and Hamas.

Benjamin Netanyahu, who visited Gaza, announces an “intensification” of the fighting to come

Despite growing calls for a ceasefire, a heavy human toll and a humanitarian crisis described as catastrophic by the UN and NGOs, the Israeli Prime Minister remains inflexible. After visiting Gaza on Monday, Benjamin Netanyahu declared to the elected representatives of his Likud party: “I am now returning from Gaza. We are not stopping, we are continuing to fight and we are intensifying the fighting in the days to come and it will be a long war that is not going to end any time soon.”

“We are faced with monstershe said on Sunday in his Christmas message addressed to Christians around the world. It is a battle of civilization against barbarism.” And to add: “We are paying a very heavy price for the war, but we have no choice but to continue fighting.”

Israeli Prime Minister heckled by families of hostages

This displayed firmness does not reassure the families of the Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip since the attack of October 7. During a speech to Parliament on Monday, Benjamin Netanyahu was heckled by parents of captives. “Now, now!” they chanted at several points during the speech, as the prime minister declared that Israeli forces needed “more time” to obtain their release by continuing their operations in the Palestinian territory.

A week-long truce that ended on December 1 allowed the release of 105 hostages, including 80 in exchange for 240 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, but 129 remain captive in Gaza.

At least 30 dead in Israeli bombings

Before dawn on Monday, Israeli aircraft massively bombed the Gaza Strip. One of the strikes, near the small village of Al-Zawaida (center), left 12 dead and another left at least 18 dead in Khan Younes (south), according to the Hamas Ministry of Health. According to a latest report from the same source, 20,674 people died in Israeli military operations, the majority women, children and adolescents, and nearly 55,000 people were injured.

On the Israeli side, the army announced the death of two soldiers, bringing to 156 the number of its losses since the start of the ground offensive launched in Gaza on October 27, in retaliation for the Hamas attack in Israel from October 7, which left around 1,140 dead, mostly civilians, according to the latest official Israeli figures.

Pope denounces “desperate humanitarian situation” in Gaza

At the Vatican, the Pope denounced in his traditional Christmas message “the desperate humanitarian situation” in Gaza, once again calling for the release of hostages and a ceasefire. “I carry in my heart the pain for the victims of the odious attack of October 7 and I renew an urgent appeal for the release of those who are still held hostage”Francis, 87, said in his “Urbi et Orbi” (“to the city of Rome and to the world”) speech. “I call for an end to military operations, with their appalling result of innocent civilian casualties, and for the desperate humanitarian situation to be remedied by allowing humanitarian aid to arrive.”he added in front of several thousand pilgrims gathered in Saint-Pierre Square.

In the Gaza Strip, subjected by Israel to a total siege since October 9, the situation of the 1.9 million displaced people – 85% of the population according to the UN – is desperate according to UN agencies which say that no place is safe in the territory.

Israeli investigation opened into Sunday strike in refugee camp

The Israeli army announced on Monday “investigate” on a strike on Sunday in the al-Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. According to the Hamas Ministry of Health, the strike left at least 70 people dead. This assessment could not be confirmed from an independent source.

The Israeli army has indicated that it “exam[ait]” information received on this “incident”while claiming to take “possible measures to minimize harm to civilians, despite the challenges posed by Hamas terrorists operating in civilian areas”.