Israel-Hamas war live: 50 killed in Gaza during morning attacks – Ministry

The Palestinian Red Cresent Society (PRCS) has condemned the Israeli targeting of al-Amal Hospital in Gaza that killed 10 people and injured 21 others.

“The PRCS expresses its deep concern for the safety of its staff working in the hospital and the headquarters of the Society, especially since the latest targeting; today is the fifth targeting of the hospital and its surroundings in less than a week,” the group said in a statement published on X.

“The occupations intensification in targeting the vicinity of al-Amal Hospital during the past few days may be considered a prelude to targeting it directly.”

PRCS also called for the international community to “intervene immediately” and provide the hospital with urgent protections.

The PRCS condemns the targeting of Al-Amal Hospital by the occupation forces and calls on the international community to provide urgent protection for the hospital.#NotATarget ❌#IHL #AlAmalHospital pic.twitter.com/SUuNRSyEql

— PRCS (@PalestineRCS) December 28, 2023

Adele Khodr, UNICEF’s regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, has said 124 Palestinian and six Israeli children were killed in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem since the start of this year.

“At least 83 children have been killed in the past 12 weeks – more than double the number of children killed in all of 2022, amid increased military and law enforcement operations,” she said in a statement.

“More than 576 have been injured, and others have reportedly been detained.”

Egypt has put forward a framework proposal aimed at ending the bloodshed in Gaza, including a three-stage plan for a ceasefire, according to the head of the country’s media body.

Diaa Rashwan, the head of Egypt’s State Information Service, said Cairo is still awaiting responses to the proposal from the involved parties. Details about the plan will be provided once these responses are received.

The Israeli military claims to have uncovered a tunnel shaft located inside a mosque in Khan Younis that leads to a Hamas surveillance centre.

In a post on X, the military said they had destroyed the tunnel and surveillance centre, which they claim was used to coordinate fighting and the transfer of weapons.

The Israeli army chief has confirmed the next phase of the war, moving further into Gaza. They’ve focused mainly on the north; now, they’re focusing on Khan Younis.

This becomes much trickier. They know they need more troops, as this area is much more densely populated.

This also comes at a time when the US is putting immense pressure on Israel to reduce civilian casualties because, at an international PR level, it doesn’t look good for Israel.

Many people were standing in solidarity with Israel initially at the beginning of this war, saying that they had the right to defend themselves. But as the number of those deaths in Gaza increases, the pressure will be higher on them to reduce those. So you’ll probably see a lot more specific targeted tactical moves.

Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has named the new interim prison commissioner, Kobi Yaakovi, after criticising the last superintendent for not being “harsh enough” with Palestinian inmates.

Yaakovi is a deputy police commissioner who currently serves as military secretary in Ben-Gvir’s ministry.

In a post on X, Ben-Gvir said Yaakovi is a “decorated, respected, assertive, professional and sharp police officer, which is exactly what the prison service needs right now”.

The spokesperson for the Ministry of Health in Gaza, Ashraf al-Qudra, says the death toll in Gaza has risen to 21,320 people due to Israeli attacks.

Another 55,603 people have been wounded, al-Qudra said in a televised news conference.

Al-Qudra added that Israeli forces deliberately targeted 104 ambulances and 142 health institutions in the Gaza Strip. He called on international institutions to intervene in order to restart operations at al-Shifa Hospital.

Israel’s air force has said on X that it has intercepted an unmanned aircraft that crossed from Lebanon to its territory, following the warnings in the Kiryat area.