The Gaza Civil Defense announced on Saturday that 94 bodies of Palestinians were recovered from beneath the rubble in Gaza City. The bodies were transferred for forensic examination before being sent to Deir al-Balah for burial. The recovery operation comes amid continued devastation following Israeli airstrikes that began in October 2023.

According to Gaza’s health authorities, more than 70,700 Palestinians have been killed and over 171,000 injured since the conflict began, with women and children comprising the majority of casualties. Civil Defense officials said they have relocated thousands of bodies previously buried in temporary sites, in cooperation with the Health and Religious Affairs ministries.

Although a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was declared on October 10, reports indicate that Israeli attacks have persisted, violating the truce. Humanitarian agencies warn that thousands more remain trapped under debris, underscoring the severe toll of the prolonged conflict on Gaza’s civilian population.

For the first time in two years, students have returned to in-person classes at Gaza’s Islamic University, reopening amid widespread destruction and displacement caused by Israeli military operations. The partial resumption of teaching marks a fragile step toward normalcy on a campus that has been largely reduced to rubble, with only four classrooms currently functional.

According to Al Jazeera, around 500 displaced families are now sheltering within the university grounds, where lecture halls have become makeshift living spaces. UNESCO reports that more than 95% of Gaza’s higher education institutions have been damaged or destroyed since the 2023 conflict began. Human rights groups and UN experts have described the systematic devastation of Gaza’s education sector as “scholasticide.”

Despite dire conditions, faculty members continue teaching with minimal resources, covering open walls with plastic sheets and borrowing generators for electricity. Observers warn that the destruction of schools and universities threatens the social and intellectual foundation of Palestinian society, with over 750,000 students deprived of education for two consecutive academic years.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that while famine in Gaza has been averted following the recent ceasefire, the humanitarian situation remains dire. Speaking at UN headquarters in New York, Guterres said over 75% of Gaza’s population—around 1.6 million people—are suffering from severe food insecurity and face heightened risks of malnutrition.

Guterres urged all parties to ensure a sustainable ceasefire and called for the removal of restrictions on border crossings, the entry of essential supplies, and bureaucratic barriers that hinder aid delivery. He emphasized the need for safe routes within Gaza, consistent donor funding, and uninterrupted access for humanitarian agencies. The UN chief also highlighted worsening conditions in the West Bank, where Palestinians face escalating settler violence, land seizures, and home demolitions.

Guterres stressed that advancing to the second phase of the peace plan is essential, warning that continued inaction would deepen the crisis and prolong civilian suffering across the occupied territories.

At least six people were killed when an Israeli airstrike hit a wedding ceremony in Gaza City on Wednesday. The attack targeted the second floor of a school that had been converted into a shelter, according to local media. The incident occurred as representatives from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey were in the United States to discuss the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.

Gaza’s media office reported that Israel has violated the US-brokered truce more than 500 times since it took effect in October. The Israeli military said its forces identified several suspected individuals in the northern Gaza ‘Yellow Line’ area and opened fire to neutralize what it described as a threat. Meanwhile, US envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed ongoing talks in Miami with regional partners, including the UAE, to shape Gaza’s future governance.

Washington’s proposal reportedly includes forming a Palestinian technocratic committee, establishing a peace board, and deploying an international force in the territory. Analysts say the latest strike could complicate diplomatic efforts to sustain the fragile ceasefire.

A one-month-old Palestinian infant has died in Gaza due to severe cold, bringing the winter-related death toll to 13, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Aid agencies warn that the lack of blankets, heaters, and warm clothing is worsening the humanitarian crisis among displaced families living in makeshift shelters. Israeli restrictions on the entry of relief materials have further limited access to essential winter supplies.

Civil Defense officials have cautioned that children are at particular risk as millions remain without adequate shelter or heating. Most housing in Gaza has been destroyed, forcing families to live in tents that offer little protection from rain and freezing temperatures. The Government Media Office in Gaza accused Israel of failing to uphold ceasefire and humanitarian commitments made in October.

Since October 2023, more than 70,700 Palestinians—mostly women and children—have been killed and over 171,000 injured in the ongoing conflict, leaving Gaza in ruins and heightening the risk of further humanitarian catastrophe as winter intensifies.

The United Nations has warned that heavy rainfall has severely worsened living conditions for hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians in Gaza. UNICEF spokesperson Jonathan Cricks described the weather as 'horrific,' noting that flooding reached up to 15 centimeters near his office. The Hamas-run health ministry reported that one child died from hypothermia and at least 11 others were killed when buildings collapsed due to the storm.

Despite a ceasefire in place for nine weeks, UN agencies say aid remains insufficient. Around 55,000 families have been affected by the flooding, losing their shelters and belongings, while more than 40 emergency centers have been inundated. Cricks said many families are trying to remove water with buckets, and children in wet clothes face severe health risks.

The UN estimates that roughly one million people are living in tents or makeshift shelters, many of which are at risk of collapse in strong winds. Aid agencies are calling for urgent international assistance to prevent further humanitarian deterioration as winter intensifies.

UK-based humanitarian group Save the Children has reported that it has been unable to deliver its own relief supplies to Gaza since March, when Israel imposed a full blockade on the enclave. Despite a ceasefire taking effect on October 10, the organization said that no change has occurred in its ability to bring in tents, blankets, and other essential materials.

Severe storms have recently caused extensive damage across Gaza, heightening the need for emergency shelter and supplies. Save the Children’s Gaza media manager, Shorouq, told Al Jazeera that only limited aid has entered through the United Nations, insufficient to meet the population’s basic needs. An aid worker, speaking anonymously, described desperate conditions as Palestinians struggle to find safe shelter.

The organization has attempted to source materials locally, but these efforts have been described as a “drop in the ocean” compared to the overwhelming demand. Humanitarian agencies continue to urge Israel to ease restrictions to prevent a deeper crisis in Gaza’s already fragile humanitarian situation.

A two-week-old Palestinian infant has died from hypothermia in Gaza as freezing temperatures sweep through the war-torn enclave. The Gaza Health Ministry confirmed the death of Mohammad Khalil Abu al-Khair, citing a lack of heating, electricity, and shelter. Al Jazeera’s correspondent Tareq Abu Azzoum reported that the baby’s death reflects the collapse of Gaza’s basic infrastructure following prolonged Israeli bombardments.

Families are living in makeshift tents on wet ground without adequate clothing or heating. Humanitarian agencies say Israel’s restrictions on fuel, food, and aid deliveries have worsened the crisis. A displaced mother told Al Jazeera that residents are drying children’s clothes over open fires to survive. Recent storms have killed at least 11 others as heavy rain and wind destroyed fragile shelters.

The ongoing blockade and destruction have left over 80% of Gaza’s infrastructure in ruins, forcing millions into overcrowded camps. Aid groups warn that without immediate humanitarian access, more deaths from cold and disease are likely in the coming weeks.

United Nations Special Rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese, and several Gaza-based doctors have been nominated for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. The announcement was made by European Parliament member Matjaž Nemec after the formal submission of the nomination to the Norwegian Nobel Committee on December 16, 2025.

Nemec stated that nearly 300 qualified nominators from 33 countries, including Brazil, South Africa, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, endorsed the proposal. He described the nomination as a tribute to courage and resilience in defending humanitarian values under extreme conditions. Albanese was praised for upholding international law and human rights despite political pressure from Israel and the United States. Gaza doctors such as Dr. Husam Abu Safiya and Dr. Sara Al-Saqqa were recognized for their work saving lives amid collapsing health infrastructure and severe shortages.

The nomination calls on global leaders to respect international law and human dignity. It comes as Gaza continues to face devastating humanitarian conditions, with over 70,000 Palestinians reported killed since October 2023 despite ceasefire agreements.

Gaza’s Civil Defense teams have recovered the bodies of 30 members of the same family from the rubble of a destroyed home in western Gaza City. Officials said all the victims belonged to the Salem family, who were killed during an Israeli airstrike on their house in the Al-Rimal neighborhood on December 19, 2023. Authorities believe that as many as 60 family members may have died in that single strike.

The recovery marks the first operation under a broader effort by Gaza’s Civil Defense to locate thousands of Palestinians still trapped beneath collapsed buildings across the enclave. Despite operating with limited equipment, including only one excavator, rescue teams have vowed to continue their search.

Palestinian officials stated that Israeli forces still control more than half of Gaza’s territory despite a declared ceasefire, with continued attacks reported in several areas. The discovery highlights the ongoing humanitarian crisis and the immense challenges facing recovery operations amid widespread destruction.

Hamas deputy chief Khalil al-Hayya stated that the group has a 'legitimate right' to retain its weapons, emphasizing that any post-ceasefire proposal for Gaza must preserve this right. Speaking on Hamas-run Al-Aqsa TV, al-Hayya linked the group’s armament to the broader goal of establishing a Palestinian state. His remarks come amid ongoing Israeli strikes despite a ceasefire that took effect on October 10.

Al-Hayya’s comments directly challenge international and Israeli demands for Hamas’s disarmament under a proposed U.S.-backed peace plan. The plan outlines three stages: prisoner exchanges, Israeli troop withdrawals replaced by an international stabilization force, and Gaza’s reconstruction. Israel insists Hamas must surrender its weapons before progress can be made. Al-Hayya also confirmed the death of the head of Hamas’s weapons production unit in recent Israeli attacks.

The statement underscores deep divisions over Gaza’s future governance and security arrangements. Analysts warn that Hamas’s insistence on keeping its arms could complicate ceasefire negotiations and delay reconstruction efforts in the war-torn enclave.

Israeli forces shot and killed a 23-year-old Palestinian man near Hebron in the occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. The victim, identified as Muhammad Wael al-Sharouf, was reportedly killed after Israeli troops alleged he attempted a stabbing attack. The Israeli military described the incident as the neutralization of a 'terrorist' in the Hebron area.

The killing follows another fatal shooting a day earlier, when Israeli forces killed a 16-year-old boy in the northern West Bank, claiming he had thrown an explosive device. Palestinian authorities identified the teenager as Muhammad Iyad Abahra and accused Israeli forces of withholding his body. The incidents come amid escalating violence across the West Bank since the Gaza war began in October 2023.

According to Palestinian data, at least 1,093 Palestinians have been killed and around 11,000 injured in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since October 2023. The continued clashes highlight the deepening humanitarian and political crisis in the occupied territories.

Israeli forces shot and killed a 16-year-old Palestinian boy during a late-night raid in the Silat al-Harithiya village of the Jenin governorate in the occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian General Authority of Civil Affairs. The victim, identified as Muhammad Iyad Abahra, was reportedly struck by live fire, and Israeli authorities have not yet released his body to his family.

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that Israeli troops used live ammunition and stun grenades during the operation. Palestinian statistics indicate that since October 2023, at least 1,093 Palestinians have been killed, around 11,000 injured, and 21,000 detained across the West Bank and East Jerusalem amid escalating Israeli military and settler actions.

The incident comes despite a declared ceasefire and follows a July ruling by the International Court of Justice declaring Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories illegal. The continued clashes underscore the fragility of the truce and the deepening humanitarian and political crisis in the region.

A powerful storm named Byron has struck the Gaza Strip, killing at least 14 people and worsening the already dire humanitarian situation in the war-ravaged enclave. The storm caused widespread destruction, collapsing homes, walls, and makeshift tents that serve as shelters for thousands of displaced residents. Many families are struggling without adequate clothing, fuel, or protection from the cold.

According to Gaza’s Ministry of Interior, several deaths occurred when shelters and structures collapsed under strong winds and heavy rain. Al Jazeera reported that the storm has turned overcrowded shelters into death traps, with nearly 850,000 people at risk across 761 centers. The United Nations estimates that around 800,000 residents are now in extreme danger due to the lack of infrastructure and ongoing Israeli blockade.

The combination of war damage, blockade, and severe weather has pushed Gaza’s humanitarian crisis to new extremes. Aid agencies warn that without immediate international assistance, the situation could deteriorate further as flooding and cold weather persist.

Continuous rainfall triggered severe flooding across southern Gaza on Wednesday, inundating makeshift tents sheltering displaced residents in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis. Arab media reports said many families were trapped inside their tents as floodwaters rose, prompting urgent calls for help to Palestinian Civil Defense units in Rafah.

Officials said the flooding compounded the misery of Gaza’s displaced population, already suffering from months of conflict and destruction. Nearly the entire population has been uprooted by Israel’s military campaign, and reconstruction costs are estimated at around $70 billion. Despite a two-month ceasefire, no significant progress has been made toward building sustainable temporary housing for those left homeless.

Humanitarian agencies warn that without immediate infrastructure and drainage support, further rainfall could worsen living conditions, heighten disease risks, and delay recovery efforts across the enclave.