Israel approves 19 new West Bank settlements, Smotrich says

Israel's government has overseen an recent expansion of West Bank settlements.

ByDavid Brennan and Nadine El-Bawab
Last Updated: December 21, 2025, 7:53 AM EST

The ceasefire in Gaza is broadly holding, despite sporadic clashes between the Israel Defense Forces and Gaza militants -- plus deadly IDF airstrikes.

Israeli forces inside the strip have pulled back to the so-called "yellow line." Israel Defense Forces chief Eyal Zamir said the position constitutes "a new border line" with Gaza.

The ceasefire is still in the first of three proposed phases. The details of the second phase of the agreement are yet to be agreed. The remains of one deceased hostage are still thought to be in Gaza.

Israeli strikes are also ongoing against alleged Hezbollah targets in southern and eastern Lebanon.

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Dec 10, 2025, 6:55 AM EST

379 people killed in Gaza since ceasefire, health officials say

The Hamas-run Ministry of Health in Gaza said in a social media post on Wednesday that two people were killed by Israeli fire in the previous 24 hours, with the body of one person who was killed earlier also recovered.

Friends and relatives of deceased Palestinian, Mohammed Al-Jarou, pray over his body during his funeral in Deir al-Balah in the Gaza Strip on Dec. 9, 2025.
Bashar Taleb/AFP via Getty Images

The three casualties brought the overall death toll since the ceasefire came into effect on Oct. 11 to 379 people, the ministry said, with 922 people also wounded. A total of 627 additional bodies have been recovered in that time, the ministry said.

The death toll since the war began on Oct. 7, 2023, now stands at 70,369 people with another 171,069 wounded, the ministry said.

Health officials said they expect to find more victims as recovery teams work through rubble in the devastated strip.

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