Live

Palestinian Christians in Gaza celebrate Christmas amid fragile ceasefire

Palestinian Christians in Gaza celebrate Christmas amid fragile ceasefire
By Usaid Siddiqui, Edna Mohamed and Farah Najjar
Published On 25 Dec 2025

This live page has now closed.

25 Dec 2025 - 18:59
 (18:59 GMT)

Thanks for joining us

After two years, Christmas celebrations have returned to Bethlehem with joy and sorrow amid hardships. For more, read this.

Five Israeli settlers have been arrested over their alleged involvement in an attack on a Palestinian home that wounded an eight-month-old baby in the occupied West Bank. For more, read this.

Four members of the UK-based Palestine Action group are continuing hunger strikes, adopting a powerful method of protest. Read this explainer for more.

25 Dec 2025 - 18:45
 (18:45 GMT)

Here’s what happened today

This live page will close soon. Here’s a look at the day’s top developments:

  • In their latest violation of the Gaza ceasefire, Israeli forces have killed one Palestinian in Jabalia in the north and injured several others, according to the enclave’s ambulance and emergency services.
  • For the first time in two years, Christmas services at the Holy Family Church, Gaza’s only Catholic church, have taken place, but many of the remaining churches across Gaza either scaled back or cancelled their Christmas activities altogether.
  • Israel says it has killed an operative for the Quds Force, part of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, in an operation in Lebanon. Earlier, Lebanese media had reported that an Israeli drone had hit a car near the village of Hoch al-Sayyed Ali in eastern Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, killing two people.
  • More than 9,300 Palestinian prisoners and detainees are facing “torture, starvation, medical neglect and slow executions” inside Israeli jails, according to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Media Office.
  • More than 560 Israeli settlers, under the protection of Israeli police and soldiers, have stormed the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem.
  • Gaza’s Civil Defence says its crews have recovered the bodies of 25 Palestinians from beneath the rubble of a home northwest of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. Those included the body of journalist Hiba al-Abadleh and her mother, who were killed in January 2024.
25 Dec 2025 - 18:30
 (18:30 GMT)

Israeli forces building new settlement road on Palestinian land near Hebron

Israeli forces have begun carving out a new settlement road on Palestinian-owned land in the town of al-Dhahiriya, south of Hebron in the occupied West Bank, residents and local activists say.

Fakhri Abu Shrekh told the Wafa news agency that troops stormed the al-Deir area, seized a home belonging to Naseem Abu Shrekh and turned it into a military post before blocking access to the area and starting excavation work just metres from nearby houses.

The road, which residents said stretches more than 6km (3.7 miles), runs from the Zanouta area east of the town towards the Sarawat and Deir Ma’la areas to the southeast – sites that have recently seen repeated settler attacks.

Abu Shrekh said the goal is to make settler access easier and lay the groundwork for further land takeovers.

25 Dec 2025 - 18:00
 (18:00 GMT)

Israeli forces issue forced evacuation order for Gaza City’s Tuffah neighbourhood

The Israeli army has issued a new forced evacuation order for residents living in the eastern part of the Tuffah neighbourhood in Gaza City, Wafa reports.

The order paves the way for the demolition of an entire residential block in the area and the expansion of Israeli-held land by moving the “yellow line”, beyond which Israel has full control, by more than 100 metres (110 yards).

Hundreds of families have already begun to leave as a result of the order, according to the report.

25 Dec 2025 - 17:45
 (17:45 GMT)

Israeli machinegun fired in areas surrounding al-Khiyam in southern Lebanon: Report

Machinegun bursts have been fired from an Israeli position on al-Hammams hill, south of the southern Lebanese town of al-Khiyam, towards surrounding areas, Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reports.

At the same time, the NNA reported that civil defence teams extinguished a fire that broke out in a house in the town of Blida after a drone targeted it.

25 Dec 2025 - 17:30
 (17:30 GMT)

Gaza rescuers recover 25 bodies from rubble in Khan Younis, including Palestinian journalist

Gaza’s Civil Defence says its crews have recovered the bodies of 25 Palestinians from beneath the rubble of a home northwest of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.

In a statement carried by the Safa news agency, the Civil Defence said the remains were retrieved with help from forensic teams and included the body of journalist Hiba al-Abadleh and her mother, who were killed in January 2024. The bodies were later buried in official cemeteries.

The home belonged to the al-Astal family, according to the Civil Defence.

More than 10,000 Palestinians in Gaza remain missing under rubble, according to the National Committee for Missing Persons, which has described the enclave as “the world’s largest mass grave”. Israel has continued to prevent the entry of adequate equipment and machinery necessary for their recovery.

25 Dec 2025 - 17:15
 (17:15 GMT)

Al-Quds Brigades claims attack on Israeli army vehicle near Jenin

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s armed wing says its fighters targeted an Israeli army vehicle on a road near Jenin in the occupied West Bank earlier today.

In a statement, the group said contact was restored with one of its combat units in the village of Jaba, who reported hitting the vehicle at 2:09pm (12:09 GMT) as it passed the area accompanied by Israeli military vehicles.

No information on casualties or damage has been confirmed.

25 Dec 2025 - 17:00
 (17:00 GMT)

Palestinian groups accuse Israel of war crimes against female prisoners

The Palestinian Resistance Committees have accused Israel of committing “fully-fledged war crimes” against Palestinian female prisoners, saying they were dragged into prison courtyards, stripped of their headscarves, and assaulted with dogs and stun grenades.

The assaults, which the group said were carried out by Israel’s prison service under orders from far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, show that “no statements of condemnation or international laws” deter Israel, and that only “resistance and comprehensive confrontation” can stop such abuses.

The group called on international organisations and UN bodies to urgently intervene to protect Palestinian detainees. It also urged Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, occupied East Jerusalem, Gaza and Palestinian communities inside Israel to escalate resistance in support of prisoners held in Israeli jails.

25 Dec 2025 - 16:45
 (16:45 GMT)

Israeli forces deploy tear gas, live ammunition in Beit Furik, east of Nablus

A number of Palestinians have been injured while breathing in tear gas fired by Israeli forces who stormed the town of Beit Furik, east of Nablus in the occupied West Bank, Wafa reports.

According to local sources, soldiers stormed the town and carried out a widespread deployment in its neighbourhoods, firing live ammunition and tear gas.

25 Dec 2025 - 16:30
 (16:30 GMT)

Israel says air force helicopters intercept two drones from Egypt

The Israeli military says two drones have crossed from Egypt  into Israeli territory and have been intercepted by air force helicopters.

In a post on Telegram, the army said the drones had crossed from the west in what it referred to as a “smuggling attempt”.

25 Dec 2025 - 16:15
 (16:15 GMT)

Israel violating ceasefire as Gaza faces worsening humanitarian crisis, NGO warns

The director of Addameer, a Palestinian human rights organisation that monitors political prisoners, says Israel is continuing to violate the ceasefire in Gaza as a humanitarian crisis worsens across the besieged territory.

Alaa Skafi told local media that about 80 percent of trucks entering Gaza are being diverted to the commercial sector, where their goods are sold at prices most people cannot afford.

As a result, he said, much needed humanitarian supplies – including medicine, tents and other essentials – are not entering at scale or reaching the residents who need them.

Skafi also warned that al-Awda Hospital in central Gaza may be forced to shut down within hours due to a lack of fuel, describing the situation as a looming “health catastrophe” that could paralyse the facility’s ability to treat patients and provide lifesaving care.

Days ago, Munir al-Bursh, director-general of Gaza’s Ministry of Health, told Al Jazeera that Gaza’s health system is on the brink of collapse, saying there are widespread shortages of medicines and medical supplies, particularly items needed to perform operations.

During Israel’s genocidal war, nearly all of Gaza’s hospitals and healthcare facilities have been attacked with at least 125 health facilities damaged, including 34 hospitals.

25 Dec 2025 - 16:00
 (16:00 GMT)

WATCH: Trump declared a ‘new Middle East’ – but what has changed?

Two months ago, US President Donald Trump held an international gala to celebrate his 20-point plan for peace in Gaza, but his plan has been stuck in phase one since then.

Bronwen Maddox, the director of Chatham House, one of the world’s leading think tanks, argued that while Trump’s ceasefire slowed the horrific Israeli bombing of Gaza, “that doesn’t mean we’ve got a plan for the future”.

Maddox told Al Jazeera’s Bottom Line that while Iran is weaker, Israel’s campaign to destabilise its neighbours, such as Syria, is dragging the region into further conflict, not peace and prosperity.

Watch the discussion below:

25 Dec 2025 - 15:45
 (15:45 GMT)

Hamas delegation meets Iraqi officials in Baghdad

A senior Hamas delegation has wrapped up a visit to the Iraqi capital after holding a series of meetings with political leaders and officials, the Gaza-based Safa news agency reported.

The delegation was led by Osama Hamdan and included media adviser Taher al-Nono. According to Hamas, discussions focused on the implementation of the ceasefire agreement, as well as “political and regional developments linked to the Palestinian cause”.

The delegation also briefed Iraqi officials on the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, Israeli attacks in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, and conditions faced by Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, the report said.

The meetings also touched on Iraqi-Palestinian relations and ways to support Palestinian resilience, with Hamas stressing Iraq’s longstanding support for Palestinian rights.

25 Dec 2025 - 15:30
 (15:30 GMT)
Explainer

Prison hunger strikes that shaped history

By Shola Lawal

Four members of the advocacy group Palestine Action have pledged this week to continue their hunger strike amid grave medical warnings and the hospitalisations of their fellow protesters.

The group’s members are being held in five prisons in the United Kingdom over alleged involvement in break-ins at a facility of the UK’s subsidiary of the Israeli defence firm Elbit Systems in Bristol and a Royal Air Force base in Oxfordshire.

They are protesting for better conditions in prison, rights to a fair trial, and for the UK to change a July policy listing the movement as a “terror” group.

Palestine Action denies charges of “violent disorder” and others against the eight detainees. Relatives and loved ones told Al Jazeera of the members’ deteriorating health amid the hunger strikes, which have led to repeated hospital admissions. Lawyers representing the detainees have revealed plans to sue the government.

Read more here.

Protesters hold signs reading ‘I oppose Genocide, I support Palestine Action’ in Cardiff, Wales, UK, on November 29, 2025 [Dan Mullan/Getty Images]
25 Dec 2025 - 15:15
 (15:15 GMT)

Israeli forces storm el-Bireh city in occupied West Bank

Israeli forces have entered the city of el-Bireh in the occupied West Bank and patrolled its streets with military vehicles before raiding a restaurant, Wafa reports, quoting local sources.

Israeli forces stormed the city’s Umm ash-Sharayet neighbourhood and also raided the al-Wahda Sports Club.

So far, no arrests have been reported.

—

25 Dec 2025 - 15:00
 (15:00 GMT)

Civil Defence warns Palestinians of worsening weather

The Palestinian Civil Defence has urged the public to take precautions ahead of a weather system expected to hit the region from Friday evening through next Wednesday and bring heavy rain, strong winds and a sharp drop in temperatures.

In a statement, the agency warned that the approaching storm could trigger flooding and dangerous road conditions. Drivers were advised to maintain safe distances, avoid waterlogged areas and ensure vehicle maintenance while residents in low-lying areas were urged to secure their homes and prevent rainwater from entering.

The agency also called on the public to secure loose objects on rooftops, clear drainage pathways and use heaters safely.

Overcrowded refugee camps across the occupied West Bank, already facing crumbling infrastructure, are especially vulnerable during storms.

Israeli restrictions on movement, building permits and access to basic infrastructure make it difficult to upgrade drainage systems or clear blocked roads. In areas of the West Bank where Israel retains full control, many Palestinians lack proper road access, making it difficult for ambulances or Civil Defence crews to reach families seeking help.

For more than 1.5 displaced Palestinians in Gaza living under plastic tents, the situation is even worse. Most tents are constructed from aid tarpaulins, pieces of plastic salvaged from rubble and blankets tied to wooden poles and offer no real protection from harsh weather.

25 Dec 2025 - 14:45
 (14:45 GMT)

Photos: Christmas Mass at damaged church near Lebanon-Israel border

A worshipper walks inside the badly damaged St George’s Church after a Christmas Mass in the southern Lebanese village of Yaroun near the border with Israel [Mahmoud Zayyat/AFP]
A nativity scene is displayed in the damaged church [Mahmoud Zayyat/AFP]
The church was hit by a missile and a bomb during more than a year of war between Israel and Hezbollah that subsided with a ceasefire in November 2024 [Mahmoud Zayyat/AFP]

25 Dec 2025 - 14:31
 (14:31 GMT)
Houthi

Israel says it kills Iranian Quds Force member in Lebanon attack

The announcement appears to be linked to the earlier reports of an Israeli drone strike killing two people in the Bekaa Valley.

The Israeli military said the target of the attack was Hussein Mahmoud al-Jawhari, who was a member of the Quds Force in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. It accused him of being involved in advancing plots against Israel.

25 Dec 2025 - 14:30
 (14:30 GMT)

Palestinian man wounded by Israeli gunfire near occupied East Jerusalem

A Palestinian man has been shot in the foot by Israeli forces in the town of al-Ram, north of occupied East Jerusalem, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.

Medical crews said they treated the man after he was struck with live ammunition while trying to cross Israel’s separation wall in the area.

The wall, ruled illegal by the International Court of Justice in The Hague, cuts into occupied West Bank territory and will be 712km (442 miles) long upon completion.

The wall, along with hundreds of Israeli checkpoints and other obstacles scattered throughout the West Bank, has not only hindered Palestinian movement but also the Palestinian economy. Desperate to earn a decent living, some Palestinians risk their lives to enter Israel by trying to climb the wall.

25 Dec 2025 - 14:15
 (14:15 GMT)

Israeli settlers injure Palestinian man in attack on village near Ramallah

A Palestinian man has been injured when armed Israeli settlers attacked homes in the town of Deir Jarir, east of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank.

Witnesses told the Palestinian news agency Wafa that a group of settlers opened fire and targeted houses near the village entrance, lightly wounding one man. They added that settlers shot live ammunition towards young people in the area, but no further injuries were reported.

Israeli forces later entered the area to provide protection for the settlers, the sources said.