Israel intensifies strikes in central Gaza, killing dozens

In one of the war's deadliest strikes, at least 68 people were killed by an Israeli strike in central Gaza on Christmas Eve, health officials said Sunday.

Meanwhile, the number of Israeli soldiers killed in combat over the weekend rose to 15, according to The Associated Press.

The strike occurred on the Maghazi refugee camp east of Deir al-Balah. Among the 68 people dead were at least 12 women and seven children.

The Health Ministry in Gaza gave the death toll as 70 earlier, and the Israeli military had no immediate comment.

The war between Israel and Hamas has left parts of Gaza in ruins, killing roughly 20,400 Palestinians and displacing almost all of the territory's 2.3 million people.

The conflict was sparked when Hamas stormed communities in southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking 240 hostage. Since the war began, 154 troops have been killed in Israel's ground offensive.

Despite soaring death tolls, suffering among Palestinians and international pressure that Israel faces, a large portion of the country's citizens still largely support Israel's goals of crushing Hamas and releasing the remaining 129 hostages.