Gaza rescuers say Israeli strikes kill 28

Gaza, Dec. 23: Gaza's civil defence agency said Israeli strikes overnight and early Sunday killed at least 28 Palestinians, including at one family's home and at a school building the military said was used by Hamas. More than 14 months into the Israel-Hamas war, there was no let-up in the violence in the Gaza Strip even as Palestinian groups involved in the fighting said a ceasefire deal was "closer than ever". Israel has faced growing criticism of its actions during the war, triggered by Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack, including from rights groups accusing it of "acts of genocide" which the Israeli government strongly denies. Pope Francis on Saturday condemned deadly bombardment a day earlier that killed several children as "cruelty", prompting a sharp response from Israel which accused the pontiff of double standards.