In a yearly address to diplomats delivered on his behalf by an aide, Francis appeared to reference deaths caused by winter cold in Gaza, where there is almost no electricity.

Gaza's Health Ministry says the Palestinian death toll from the Israel-Hamas war has passed 46,000.

A renewed push is underway to reach a ceasefire in the 15-month war and return Israeli hostages before Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20.

The White House is hoping to see a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas concluded before Joe Biden leaves office, Antony Blinken has said.

Israel said Monday that Hamas had yet to clarify whether 34 hostages it said it was ready to free were dead or alive, throwing doubt on the group's assertion that it needed time to ascertain their fate.

Three men, whose radicalisation was sparked by the Israel-Hamas conflict, were arrested under the Internal Security Act in November 2024, according to the Internal Security Department (ISD) today. As reported by CNA,

Each of the three men had taken steps to familiarise themselves with weapons, with one visiting a shooting range in Bangkok.

Since Israel and Hamas went to war, reporters and editors at The New York Times have closely covered the conflict. Our coverage includes the Hamas-led attack on Israel, the plight of hostages ...

From Richard Stubbs, Professor Emeritus, Department of Political Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

The body of Bedouin Arab hostage Youssef al-Zayadna was repatriated to Israel from the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, the Israeli military said, in what it termed as a "complex and difficult operation" as mediators continue to push for a ceasefire and hostage release deal.

The deal would secure release of a third of the approximately 100 hostages who remain in Gaza, including two dual U.S.-Israeli nationals. In return, Israel would release some Palestinian prisoners.