Israel massacres about 70 Palestinians on Christmas eve

The Palestinian health ministry in Gaza said on Sunday that an Israeli air strike hit a number of houses in central Gaza’s Maghazi refugee camp and killed at least 70 people on Christmas.

The fatalities included at least 12 women and seven children, according to early hospital figures issued late on Sunday night. However, the spokesperson of the Palestinian health ministry, Ashraf al-Qidra, said the death toll was likely to climb.

Filippo Grandi, head of the UN refugee agency, urged for a humanitarian ceasefire as about 80 percent of Gazans have been displaced and many are fleeing south.