Hamas and two other Palestinian militant groups said on Saturday that a Gaza ceasefire deal with Israel is closer than ever, provided Israel does not impose new conditions.

Contrary to false allegations in the media , the request of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, to enter Gaza was granted, as in the past and according to his preference,

Let the weapons fall silent and let the Christmas carols ring out!’ Francis said, delivering his Sunday blessing from indoors due to a cold and as a precaution ahead of a busy Christmas period

Francis delivered his Sunday blessing from indoors with Vatican officials citing the cold weather and his upcoming busy Christmas schedule. #EuropeNews

Pope Francis reflected on the devastating consequences of the Gaza war in an address at the Vatican on Saturday, expressing deep sorrow over the bombing of children in the Gaza Strip the previous day.

I think of Gaza with great sorrow; so much cruelty, children hit by machine guns, schools and hospitals bombed,’ pontiff says - Anadolu Ajansı

Israel's Foreign Ministry swiped back at Pope Francis, whose Christmas address criticized Israeli airstrikes in Gaza as "cruelty."

Pope Francis on Saturday again condemned Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, a day after an Israeli government minister publicly denounced the pontiff for suggesting the global community should study whether the military offensive there constitutes a genocide of the Palestinian people.

Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip overnight and into Sunday killed at least 22 people, including five children, Palestinian medical officials said, while Gaza’s small Christian community celebrated a pre-Christmas Mass.

Gaza's civil defence agency said on Sunday that Israeli strikes killed at least 35 Palestinians across the territory, more than 14 months into the Israel-Hamas war.

Pope Francis doubled down Sunday on his condemnation of Israel's strikes on the Gaza Strip, denouncing their "cruelty" for the second time in as many days despite Israel accusing him of "double standards".