STORY: :: Palestinian Christians in Gaza attend Orthodox Christmas Mass as war rages for a second year
:: January 7, 2025
:: Milad Ayyad, Palestinian
"Of course, the holiday passes with great sadness for all of Gaza because of the war of extermination that is taking place in the Gaza Strip, which has been going on for more than a year. Of course, the atmosphere is very sad because of the aggression, and the celebrations are limited to the religious rituals and to the prayers that call for peace for all of Palestine."
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Monday (January 6) for a final push for a Gaza ceasefire before President Joe Biden leaves office, after a Hamas official told Reuters the group had cleared a list of 34 hostages as first to go free under a truce.
Israel's military offensive in the Gaza Strip has killed at least 45,885 Palestinians and wounded 109,196 since Oct. 7, 2023, the Palestinian enclave's health ministry said on Tuesday.
More than 100 hostages are still believed to be held in Gaza, and Hamas says it will not free them without an agreement that ends the war with Israeli withdrawal. Israel says it will not halt its assault until Hamas is dismantled as a military and governing power and all hostages go free.