The Egyptian proposal to stop the fighting is not convincing: Israel believes that its objectives have not been achieved and Hamas does not envisage a partial truce.
Egyptian mediation convinces neither Israel nor Hamas.
Benyamin Netanyahu believes that “the battle will be long” and a Hamas official quoted by Associated Press explains that a “partial truce” is not envisaged.
On the ground, Gaza City is ravaged by war and the Al-Aqsa hospital is overloaded.
Sean Casey, Emergency Medical Team Coordinator, World Health Organization (WHO):
“The doctors and nurses are doing their best. Their best will never be enough until there is a ceasefire.”
Israel estimates that twenty of the Hamas hostages died or were killed during their captivity.
Around a hundred are still in the hands of their captors in the Gaza Strip.
In Israel, the families of the hostages are putting pressure on the government.
Yael Kalderon Huberman, cousin of an Israeli hostage: “And we are here because we know that the war cabinet is meeting today and we want to show our presence, it’s important for us that they are aware of that, that we are here. We trust and believe in them that they will be able to make courageous decisions that will bring our loved ones home.”
A Christmas mass was held this Monday in Gaza for Catholics in the Palestinian enclave.
At the same time, Pope Francis, for his part, called for an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages.
