DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza — Fifteen Israeli squaddies were killed in fight in Gaza over the weekend, the Israeli army mentioned Sunday, whilst tentative efforts persevered on a deal for any other trade of hostages for Palestinians held by means of Israel.As Christmas Eve fell, smoke nonetheless rose over Gaza from the combating, whilst Bethlehem within the West Financial institution was once hushed, its vacation celebrations known as off.The mounting dying toll amongst Israeli troops — 154 for the reason that floor offensive started — may just erode public enhance for the conflict, which was once sparked when Hamas-led militants stormed communities in southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 and taking 240 hostage.The conflict has devastated portions of Gaza, killed kind of 20,400 Palestinians and displaced nearly the entire besieged territory’s 2.3 million other folks. The Well being Ministry in Gaza mentioned 166 other folks had been killed within the coastal enclave over the last day.Israelis nonetheless in large part stand in the back of the rustic’s mentioned objectives of crushing Hamas’ governing and army features and liberating the remainder 129 captives. That is in spite of emerging global drive in opposition to Israel’s offensive, and the hovering dying toll and exceptional struggling amongst Palestinians.HAMAS EXACTS A PRICE“The conflict exacts an excessively heavy worth from us, however we don’t have any selection however to proceed combating,” Israeli High Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned.There was common anger in opposition to his executive, which many criticize for failing to offer protection to civilians on Oct. 7 and selling insurance policies that allowed Hamas to realize power over time. Netanyahu has have shyed away from accepting accountability for the army and coverage screw ups.“Over the years, the general public will to find it exhausting to forget about the heavy worth paid, in addition to the suspicion that the objectives that had been loudly heralded are nonetheless some distance from being attained, and that Hamas is appearing no indicators of capitulating within the close to long run,” wrote Amos Harel, army affairs commentator for the Haaretz newspaper.On Sunday, the Israeli army mentioned it had finished the dismantling of Hamas’ underground headquarters in northern Gaza, a part of an operation to take down the huge tunnel community and kill off most sensible commanders that Israeli leaders have mentioned may just take months.Efforts towards negotiations persevered. On Sunday, the pinnacle of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Ziyad al-Nakhalah, arrived in Egypt for talks. The militant workforce, which additionally took phase within the Oct. 7 assault, mentioned it was once ready to believe liberating hostages handiest after combating ends. Hamas’ most sensible chief Ismail Haniyeh traveled to Cairo for talks days previous.INSIDE GAZAIsrael’s offensive has been one of the devastating army campaigns in fresh historical past. Greater than two-thirds of the 20,000 Palestinians killed were ladies and youngsters, in keeping with the Well being Ministry in Gaza, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and opponents.The Palestinian Crimson Crescent mentioned a 13-year-old boy was once shot and killed in an Israeli drone assault whilst inside of al-Amal Clinic in Khan Younis, part of Gaza the place Israel’s army believes Hamas leaders are hiding.An Israeli strike in a single day hit a area in a refugee camp west of the town of Rafah, on Gaza’s border with Egypt. No less than two males had been killed, in keeping with Related Press newshounds within the health facility the place the our bodies had been taken.No less than two other folks had been killed and 6 others wounded when a missile caught a development within the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza.And Palestinians reported heavy Israeli bombardment and gunfire in Jabaliya, a space north of Gaza Town that Israel had claimed to keep watch over. Hamas’ army arm mentioned its opponents shelled Israeli troops in Jabaliya and Jabaliya refugee camp.“Sounds of explosions and gunfire by no means stopped,” mentioned Jabaliya resident Assad Radwan.Israel has come beneath global complaint for the civilian dying toll but it surely blames Hamas, mentioning the militants’ use of crowded residential spaces and tunnels. Israel has introduced 1000’s of airstrikes since Oct. 7, and has in large part kept away from commenting on particular assaults.Israel additionally faces allegations of mistreating Palestinian males and teen boys detained in houses, shelters, hospitals and in different places all over the offensive. It has denied abuse allegations and mentioned the ones with out hyperlinks to militants are briefly launched.Talking to the AP from a health facility mattress in Rafah after his liberate, Khamis al-Burdainy of Gaza Town mentioned Israeli forces detained him after tanks and bulldozers in part destroyed his house. He mentioned males had been handcuffed and blindfolded.“We didn’t sleep. We didn’t get meals and water,” he mentioned, crying and overlaying his face.Every other launched detainee, Mohammed Salem, from the Gaza Town group of Shijaiyah, mentioned Israeli troops beat them. “We had been humiliated,” he mentioned. “A feminine soldier would come and beat an outdated guy, elderly 72 years outdated.”Israel says it has killed 1000’s of Hamas militants, with out presenting proof.INTERNATIONAL PRESSUREThe United International locations Safety Council has handed a watered-down solution calling for the rapid supply of humanitarian assist for hungry and determined Palestinians and the discharge of the entire hostages, however now not for a cease-fire.But it surely was once now not instantly transparent how and when deliveries of meals, clinical provides and different assist, some distance under the day-to-day reasonable of 500 sooner than the conflict, would boost up. Vans input via two crossings — Rafah, and Kerem Shalom at the border with Israel. Wael Abu Omar, a spokesman for the Palestinian Crossings Authority, mentioned 93 assist vehicles entered Gaza via Rafah on Saturday.The top of the Global Well being Group, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, reiterated U.N. requires a humanitarian cease-fire, including on social media that “the decimation of the Gaza well being device is a tragedy.”Amid issues about a much broader regional battle, U.S. Central Command reported {that a} patrol deliver within the Crimson Sea on Saturday shot down 4 drones introduced from Houthi-controlled spaces in Yemen, some time two Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles had been fired into global delivery lanes, and a drone struck an Indian-flagged crude oil tanker, the Saibaba, inflicting no accidents.The Iran-backed Houthis say their assaults are geared toward Israel-linked ships as a way to prevent the Israeli offensive in Gaza. A Houthi spokesman, Mohammed Abdul-Salam, mentioned a U.S. warship fired at a drone within the Crimson Sea.___Magdy reported from Cairo. Related Press author Jack Jeffery in London contributed to this document.___Find extra of AP’s protection at
