Day 79 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Sunday, Dec. 24

Despite pressure from the US and other allies, alongside mounting military casualties, the Israeli premier announced Sunday that the military would continue the war "until absolute victory."

Rina Bassist, Ezgi Akin, Beatrice Farhat, Elizabeth Hagedorn, Adam Lucente, Jack Dutton, Jared Szuba and Al-Monitor’s contributors on the ground in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel contributed to this blog.

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Live updates (all times EDT):

Sunday, Dec. 24, 2023

5:40 pm: At least 70 killed in Israeli strike at al-Maghazi camp, health officials say

An Israeli airstrike on Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza has killed at least 70 people, Palestinian Health Ministry spokesperson Ashraf al-Qidra said in a statement Sunday evening.

"What is happening at the Maghazi camp is a massacre that is being committed on a crowded residential square," Qidra said.

The Israeli military has said it is reviewing the incident.

12:30 pm: Israel 'intensifying' Gaza operations until 'absolute victory,' Netanyahu says

In a video statement Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the IDF was “intensifying” operations inside the Gaza Strip.

"Citizens of Israel, we are intensifying the war in the Gaza Strip. We will continue to fight until absolute victory over Hamas. This is the only way to return our hostages, eliminate Hamas and ensure that Gaza will no longer be a threat to Israel," Netanyahu said. 

The statement came shortly after the premier announced 15 Israeli soldiers had been killed in the preceding 72 hours and amid increased calls from the United States for a transition to a “lower intensity” campaign.

12:10 pm: FBI has received 'more than 1,800' Gaza-linked threats since Oct. 7

US Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said Sunday that the Federal Bureau of Investigation has received over 1,800 threats related to Gaza and the war since fighting began on Oct. 7.

Since that date, “the FBI has received more than 1,800 reports of threats or other types of tips or leads that are somehow related to or have a nexus to the current conflict in Israel and Gaza,” Monaco said in an ABC interview that aired Sunday.

9:00 am: In shadow of Gaza, Christmas canceled in Israel this year

Against the backdrop of the war in Gaza, Arab Israeli municipalities — including in Nazareth, Jerusalem and Haifa — canceled their grand Christmas celebrations. Afif Abu Much reports.

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