for the first time in 100 years, many orthodox christians in ukraine celebrate christmas today, in a further shift from russia. king charles is making his annual christmas speech to the uk, where he is expected to call on every person to protect each other at a time of what he calls "increasingly tragic conflict" around the world. the israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu says his troops are going to quote "deepen the fighting" in gaza in the coming days as he visits troops in gaza. this comes after the deadliest nights in the 11—week—old battle between israel and hamas. at least 70 people are thought

to have been killed in an air strike in the al—maghazi refugee camp. the gaza health ministry says the number dead is likely to rise with body bags seen piled outside the nearby al—aqsa hospital — where many of the victims were taken. israel says it is investigating the incident. since early october, at least 20,600 people have been killed, and over 5a,500 people have been injured, in the palestinian territory. the strike comes amid scaled back christmas celebrations in bethlehem and across the occupied west bank, where over 300 palestinians have been killed. christian leaders have cancelled normal festive celebrations to focus on prayer. let's take a look at some live pictures this morning. this is the scene in israel border with lebanon. 0ur correspondent shaimaa khalil is in bethlehem and sent us this

report on the latest from gaza, where there has been no let up in the fighting — the report contains images some may find distressing pointing to her pain, overcome with distress. "it hurts here, mama," she says. her mother is trying to console her. late at night, their homes were bombed. the wounded kept coming to the nearby al—aqsa hospital, already overwhelmed, with no fuel or water and minimal supplies. in gaza, there is no respite for the people, or those trying to save them. for many, it was too late. the writing on these body bags says "remains of al—maghazi."

abdul rahim survived the air strike. his wife didn't. he says that in his building, several children and displaced people were killed. translation: it was horrific. i saw bodies on the road, some so badly disfigured they were unrecognisable. 0ur block was meant to be safe, according to the israeli military maps. but there are no safe areas in the gaza strip, not north, not south, nowhere. in a statement to the bbc, the israeli military said it was looking into the incident, adding that it was committed to taking feasible steps to minimise harm to civilians. as the scale of the devastation becomes clear, so too does the challenge facing rescue teams who've been struggling to get in, with roads blocked after the strike. in bethlehem, christmas looks and feels very different. it's sad and subdued. no tourists, no festivities,

lots of prayers. this time of year, the eyes of the world would be on the birthplace ofjesus. but it's been stripped of any signs of celebration. instead, there are messages of solidarity and calls to end the suffering. for the people here, those images of destruction and death coming from gaza hit very close to home. the pain in gaza is felt very deeply here. this year it's replaced what is normally a time ofjoy. shaimaa khalil, bbc news, bethlehem. we can show you the live pictures outside the hospital in southern gaza. this is khan younis, pardon me, this is the hospital in khan younis and over the last few weeks we've seen hundreds of patients going to facilities like this where

people have tried to get treatment and of course the intensity of the fighting has been in northern gaza but areas in southern gaza have been affected and hospitals according to humanitarian organisations have been struggling to cope with the impact of the conflict. . live now to tel aviv, where we can speak to mark regev. he's a senior adviser to israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu. thank you forjoining us on the programme and in the past hour. my programme and in the past hour. ij�*i pleasure. programme and in the past hour. my pleasure- and _ programme and in the past hour. my pleasure. and in _ programme and in the past hour. my pleasure. and in the _ programme and in the past hour. my pleasure. and in the past _ programme and in the past hour. my pleasure. and in the past hour - programme and in the past hour. my pleasure. and in the past hour we i pleasure. and in the past hour we have been — pleasure. and in the past hour we have been reporting _ pleasure. and in the past hour we have been reporting comments i pleasure. and in the past hour we i have been reporting comments from ages deep in the territory. considering what we've seen over the past three weeks deepening mean? it means we will follow through on goal

one, just back will stop and over 30 are still in gaza, and to ensure situation where there is no longer a terror regime in gaza that can attack us the way we were attacked on october seven and create a new reality in gaza which endures stability across the border and be good for palestinians and the people of gaza too. find good for palestinians and the people of gaza too. �* ,., , of gaza too. and in the past video is the israeli _ of gaza too. and in the past video is the israeli have _ of gaza too. and in the past video is the israeli have said _ of gaza too. and in the past video is the israeli have said publicly . is the israeli have said publicly once the release of israeli hostages —— in the past few weeks. at the mediation efforts and are taking place in the middle that would lead to a ceasefire. but what the comments from the prime minister mean for those mediation efforts? does it not scupper those efforts? 0n the contrary we believe if there is a chance to have more hostages come out in the framework of some deal negotiated as it was in november, that will only happen

because hamas is facing enormous pressure and is desperate for a timeout or a pause in the fighting. hamas didn't suddenly release hostages because they became handmade —— you manage aryans, on the contrary they are brutal, bloodthirsty killers —— because they became humanitarians. we are keeping the military pressure on them and we think that is the best way to facilitate the release of hostages in the future. i facilitate the release of hostages in the future.— in the future. i want to bring you this line we _ in the future. i want to bring you this line we are _ in the future. i want to bring you this line we are getting - in the future. i want to bring you this line we are getting from - this line we are getting from the afp news agency coming in, that benjamin netanyahu was booed by families during a parliamentary address. there is immense pressure notjust internationally, but domestically and you can imagine families of hostages got the safety of their

relatives in the violence hamas is capable of and with earnings of people alive. the capable of and with earnings of peeple alive-— capable of and with earnings of people alive. capable of and with earnings of --eole alive. . ,, , people alive. the mass murders. the massacre of— people alive. the mass murders. the massacre of young _ people alive. the mass murders. the massacre of young people _ people alive. the mass murders. the massacre of young people at - people alive. the mass murders. the massacre of young people at the - massacre of young people at the music festival, but we've also unfortunately heard it from the hostages who were released in november who have reported to us continuously about psychological and physical abuse that they suffered at the hands of their captors, at the hands of hamas, so for all of these reasons the families of the hostages had every right to be worried and one can only think about what it would be like to be in their shoes. but two point —— but the point to you, the families really don't seem to be believing what the government is saying and protest continue and we hear that the prime minister is

being booed by families, and that is where the sticking point is for your government and where the pressure is coming from. you are not answering the questions. coming from. you are not answering the questions-— the questions. obviously they have the questions. obviously they have the riaht the questions. obviously they have the right to — the questions. obviously they have the right to express _ the questions. obviously they have the right to express their _ the questions. obviously they have the right to express their criticism | the right to express their criticism and we will listen to whatever they have to say but to be fair, you hear a range of opinions from hostage families, you don't hear one opinion and on one extreme you will hear people say israel should stop the fighting and give hamas whatever it once and on the other extreme you get a hostage family that will tell the government don't allow one single truck of humanitarian aid into gaza. that's the best way to pressure them to get the hostages out. we are convinced as a government, and it worked in november and it means it can work in january as well, that military pressure on hamas will facilitate the release of hostages. it works in the release of hostages. it works in the past and it can work in the future. ., , the past and it can work in the future. ., ._ ., the past and it can work in the future. ., ., ., ., future. today we are again reporting on another attack _

future. today we are again reporting on another attack in _ future. today we are again reporting on another attack in northern - future. today we are again reporting on another attack in northern gaza, | on another attack in northern gaza, this time at the refugee camp where 70 people are reported to have died. the israeli government said it would investigate what has happened there. do you have any assessment of what happened and what does an investigation mean? we've heard this many times from the israeli government. what do you do when you investigate attacks like this? we alwa s investigate attacks like this? - always look into incidents like this, especially when the reported casualties... but this, especially when the reported casualties. . ._ this, especially when the reported casualties... but what is the result ofthe casualties... but what is the result of the investigations? _ casualties... but what is the result of the investigations? they - casualties... but what is the result of the investigations? they are - of the investigations? they are still ongoing — of the investigations? they are still ongoing and _ of the investigations? they are still ongoing and i _ of the investigations? they are still ongoing and i can't - of the investigations? they are still ongoing and i can't tell - of the investigations? they are | still ongoing and i can't tell you anything definitive and can only say what is true, that israel does not target civilians and i can only reiterate that in that area of gaza there has been fighting and there have been a hamas terror targets and shooting of rockets into israel but we don't know what happened and we don't know if they were civilians or hamas fighters and we do not know if they were caught up in the crossfire, so let's wait and get to the bottom of it. hamas is automatic and may say whenever something

happens in gaza it is always israel's fault but when they've said so in the past it has been exposed but that's not always the case, so let's see what happened here and be patient and get all of the facts. but the reality of the situation is that the casualty figures in gaza continue to rise and just the other day you were speaking on the bbc and i believe you said that you think 8000 hamas fighters are part of this 20,600 casualty figures from the hamas ministerial authority in gaza which means there are probably 12,000 noncombatants who have died so far in this war. 50 12,000 noncombatants who have died so far in this war.— so far in this war. so once again the numbers — so far in this war. so once again the numbers that _ so far in this war. so once again the numbers that come - so far in this war. so once again the numbers that come out - so far in this war. so once again | the numbers that come out from so far in this war. so once again - the numbers that come out from gaza are of course provided by the hamas —controlled ministry of health and i think it is very correct to deal with them with a certain amount of scepticism and at the same time, all of those numbers, as you said, they don't give you the military casualties.—

don't give you the military casualties. �* , , , ., casualties. but these numbers are widely recognised _ casualties. but these numbers are widely recognised by _ casualties. but these numbers are widely recognised by international| widely recognised by international organisations. even the americans agree that the numbers of civilian casualties in gaza is rising and they are simply too high. indie casualties in gaza is rising and they are simply too high. we agree. we aaree they are simply too high. we agree. we agree with _ they are simply too high. we agree. we agree with that. _ they are simply too high. we agree. we agree with that. we _ they are simply too high. we agree. we agree with that. we don't - they are simply too high. we agree. we agree with that. we don't want l they are simply too high. we agree. | we agree with that. we don't want to see a single civilian caught up in the crossfire between the israeli defence forces and the hamas terrorist and are making a maximum effort to avoid that. we want to kill hamas terrorists and we do not want to hurt innocent civilians which is why we have been asking civilians to leave areas of combat and move out where we expect there to be heavy fighting which is why we send messages and created special safe zones and made every effort to keep civilians out of the crossfire stop they are not the target of the operation, but it's very difficult for us because as the eu and the uk has said, as the united states have said, hamas has a deliberate strategy of using the civilians of gaza as a human shield for their terrorist organisation which is why they embed themselves into urban

neighbourhoods and under mosques and schools, even under un facilities and the hospitals and that makes our job so difficult. we want to hit hamas. we don't want to hit civilians but hamas on the other hand is once to use the civilians of gaza as a shield. for us every civilian killed is a tragedy but for hamas that is their strategy. they want civilians to die. but hamas that is their strategy. they want civilians to die.— want civilians to die. but 'ust on that oint want civilians to die. but 'ust on that point oft want civilians to die. but 'ust on that point of civilian h want civilians to die. butjust on that point of civilian casualties, | that point of civilian casualties, it's notjust coming from hamas or aid organisations, this is coming from the us president, your closest ally, so you must admit, or must consider the fact that everyone is really telling you that you are, as the american president said, indiscriminately targeting civilians indiscriminately targeting civilians in the war. tao indiscriminately targeting civilians in the war. ., ., . , indiscriminately targeting civilians in the war. ., , in the war. too many innocent civilians have _ in the war. too many innocent civilians have lost _ in the war. too many innocent civilians have lost their - in the war. too many innocent civilians have lost their life - civilians have lost their life because of this war that hamas launched and because of the ceasefire that hamas ended. that is correct. too much tragedy, i agree with that, but i would reject any

assertion of indiscriminate violence by israel. 0n the contrary, i've beenin by israel. 0n the contrary, i've been in meetings where we have been shown to international interlocutors the rigorous process we have for elections which rely on intelligence and rely on it being a target as part of the hamas military machine and that target is selected and the ordinance used is selected and the possible collateral damage is taken into account. 0nly possible collateral damage is taken into account. only after all of the boxes have been ticked. then do we launch the weapon.— launch the weapon. thank you very much, launch the weapon. thank you very much. senior— launch the weapon. thank you very much, senior adviser _ launch the weapon. thank you very much, senior adviser to _ launch the weapon. thank you very much, senior adviser to the - launch the weapon. thank you very much, senior adviser to the israeli | much, senior adviser to the israeli prime minister, thank you for joining us. live now to ramallah where we can speak to mustafa barghouti, the president of the political party palestine national initiative. ido i do not know how much of the interview you are able to hear their but obviously the key line from the

israeli government today as they are going to deepen the conflict in gaza. what is your reaction to that? that means they will deepen the crime, the genocide of the palestinian people and the collective parliament and the indiscriminate shooting of people. mr regev said they investigated but there is never a conclusion of the investigation that indicts any israeli. it is all talk to cover up the crime that is happening. 8500 children have been killed. are these combatants? more than 7000 women killed. if we count the children below the rubble, we are talking about 11,500 palestinians killed, children. 11,500 children. you can justify that? you are talking about 2.3 million people scattered and clustered in less than a0 or 50 square miles in gaza because israel forced them to move to the south and

bombarded them again there. apologies for interrupting, but a question about a question about the independent government, and what would it be an independent palestinian authority or interim authority, what is your reaction? is it workable? what we want is an immediate _ reaction? is it workable? what we want is an immediate and - reaction? is it workable? what we i want is an immediate and permanent and complete ceasefire. that is what hundred and 53 nations of the world voted for in the un, and that is what the majority of the security council resolution has voted for, except the united states. that is what we demand. first we need a permanent ceasefire to stop the killing of palestinian women, men and children and to stop the atrocity that has already destroyed more than 75% of our homes and after

there is a complete permanent ceasefire, which israel continues to refuse the exchange of prisoners can take place and an initiation of the political process can be started to end the israeli application which is the cause of all of the problems —— occupation. and we can have a discussion about the future of gaza but it cannot be separated from the west bank and what we want and need is a national unity government that can can gather both the west bank and gaza by palestinians —— governed both the west bank. have free elections which we have been deprived from since 2006. palestinians have to rule themselves, they don't need anyone else to rule them. haifa themselves, they don't need anyone else to rule them.— else to rule them. how much of this is a palestinian _ else to rule them. how much of this is a palestinian process? _ else to rule them. how much of this is a palestinian process? we - else to rule them. how much of this is a palestinian process? we are - is a palestinian process? we are seeing mediation efforts by keita and egypt brokering this with hamas and egypt brokering this with hamas and other militant groups in gaza, but how much of this would you say

is a palestinian initiative when you are talking about long—term solutions to the conflict? it are talking about long-term solutions to the conflict? it has to be a 10096 — solutions to the conflict? it has to be a 10096 palestinian _ solutions to the conflict? it has to be a 10096 palestinian initiative i solutions to the conflict? it has to l be a 10096 palestinian initiative and be a 100% palestinian initiative and thatis be a 100% palestinian initiative and that is what we are talking about here, between us and, to my knowledge, hamas is ready to accept a government that is independent but has the support of all of the palestinian groups, and that could be a national unity government. the most important thing here is not to separate gaza from the west bank as netanyahu wanted because that would kill the whole idea of the two state solution and the possibility of a palestinian independent state. in the mix of all of this, we are also hearing from the military leader of hamas, and his first comments since the war began, and obviously since he has been accused of leading this attack on israel, and he says now

there is a new stage in the war that hamas will carry out what he called a guerrilla war against the israeli government. their dust —— just doesn't seem to be an end to the conflict if hamas is going to dig in. i conflict if hamas is going to dig in. ~' ., ., ., conflict if hamas is going to dig in. ~ ., ., ., ., in. i think he meant a guerrilla war as lona in. i think he meant a guerrilla war as long as — in. i think he meant a guerrilla war as long as there _ in. i think he meant a guerrilla war as long as there is _ in. i think he meant a guerrilla war as long as there is occupation, - as long as there is occupation, israeli occupation. the international law says that people under occupation have the right to resist occupation. but under occupation have the right to resist occupation.— resist occupation. but israel sa s... resist occupation. but israel says- -- itut _ resist occupation. but israel says... but we _ resist occupation. but israel says... but we have - resist occupation. but israel says... but we have been i resist occupation. but israel- says... but we have been under israeli military _ says... but we have been under israeli military occupation - says... but we have been under israeli military occupation force | says... but we have been under. israeli military occupation force 56 years in a0 years ago there was no hamas. a5 years ago there was no hamas. a5 years ago there was no hamas but there was occupation. the key to end all of this problem is to end the illegal israeli military occupation of not only the gaza strip but also the west bank. that is the problem and that is the key to solving the problem.

thank you forjoining us on the programme. well, this morning, both the pope and the archbishop of canterbury used their christmas day messages to call for peace. with the king delivering his christmas message just a few minutes ago. 0ur royal correspondent nick witchell is with me in the studio. can you tell us about the second speech by the king?— speech by the king? yes, king charles's second _ speech by the king? yes, king charles's second speech - speech by the king? yes, king charles's second speech in - speech by the king? yes, king charles's second speech in the speech by the king? yes, king i charles's second speech in the uk transmitted a few moments ago, the second christmas message of his reign. three main themes, service to others, the environment, and we know how keen he is on that, and interfaith relations. he doesn't refer to the israel gaza is conflict specifically but it seems he is talking about that. let's have a

listen. at a time of increasingly tragic conflict around the world. i pray that we can also do all in our power to protect each other. the words ofjesus seem more than ever relevant. "do to others as you would have them do to you." such values are universal. drawing together our abrahamic family of religions and other belief systems across the commonwealth and wider world. they remind us to imagine ourselves in the shoes of our neighbours and to seek their good as we would our own. so on this christmas day, my heart and my thanks go to all who are serving one another, all who are caring for our common home, and all who see and seek the good of others, not least the friend we do not yet know. in this way, we bring out the best in ourselves.

so, a heartfelt message, i think. charles, as prince of wales are now as king of the united kingdom feels very deeply the need for better interfaith relationships and he referred to the abraham at family of faith, and it is something he has quite considerable knowledge about and interesting. the other areas he spoke about in the christmas broadcast, service to others. again, something that is important to him, the selfless army of people, many of whom were invited to his coronation backin whom were invited to his coronation back in may, they are the essential backbone of our society, people who are prepared to go the extra mile, as he put it to help others around them and within their local communities, and then of course an area that we know is very close to his heart, and that is the environment, something he's been speaking about for decades, and just a few days ago he was at the khan

younis conference and gave the opening address and he said we care for the earths for the sake of our children —— she was at the cop conference. and renewing that appeal to people to become more committed to people to become more committed to protecting the environment, and he said ifind great inspiration from the way so many people recognise the need for a more sustainable earth.— recognise the need for a more sustainable earth. nicholas, these are obviously _ sustainable earth. nicholas, these are obviously key _ sustainable earth. nicholas, these are obviously key issues, - are obviously key issues, fundamental issues around the world. conflicts, even though he did not mention specifically the israel gaza war but also the environment, so the king is meant to be a political, as it were. how do you think he is managing to balance the issues and his role? i think he's doing with considerable discipline and certainly considerable knowledge about the where the line is. i think he is showing himself to be slightly more proactive in some of these areas than his mother was and i think that is only to be expected because of his lifelong commitment, particularly to the environment and

to these areas like interfaith relations, but i think he is quite skilfully ensuring that he is navigating the line and staying on the right side of it, because as you say, the head of state of the uk cannot go into any political areas and so far, certainly, he has, i think, successfully avoided them. his second speech, and there would be comments about how he is handling this difficult and immense role, briefly, what is your assessment of how he is taking on the challenge? what we've seen in the last 12 months is him bringing some of his style to the role. we were so accustomed to queen elizabeth ii, 70 years and more on the throw, but i think her son, charles, years and more on the throw, but i think herson, charles, is years and more on the throw, but i think her son, charles, is now stamping his own style on it and i think we've seen in some of the speeches he's made in germany and to the cop conference, but he is able to make speeches that its mother

would never have made. definitely a transition within _ would never have made. definitely a transition within the _ would never have made. definitely a transition within the british - transition within the british monarchy. thank you so much. the israeli prime minister has returned from a visit from gaza and has said that israel would be seeking to deepen the conflict there. stay with us here on bbc news. merry christmas. hope you're having a pleasant day, whether you're celebrating or indeed just taking it easy. here's the forecast for the rest of christmas day and for boxing day. so today, cloudy with rain for some of us. blustery too. very mild. boxing day is looking a lot more promising, with some sunshine in the forecast. that's been so mild because of this south—westerly wind, air coming all the way from the southern climes, and it's riding along this

conveyor belt of cloud, this weather front, which is bringing the rain today. so here it is, pretty wet across parts of wales and the southwest. further the north we've got the showers, and yes, for some of us, the possibility of a white christmas across the north highlands, so some flakes of snow possible there, particularly across the hills. but for the rest of us, it is a case of that cloud, rain and wind and temperatures into double figures. now the weather fronts will clear towards the east through this evening, but it will take time. so later on tonight, the skies will clear. not particularly cold, despite the clear skies. temperatures will be still typically between five and seven degrees celsius, a little bit colder there in the highlands. so glorious sunshine for boxing day in the morning, for northern ireland, for scotland, much of northern england, eastern areas too, but across wales and the midlands, thickening cloud through the morning and indeed it is expected to be wet in the south west of england eventually on boxing day, at least by the early afternoon. and a low pressure is approaching.

and in fact, through the course of tuesday night into wednesday, it'll be spreading across the uk, a large area of widespread rain sweeping across the uk. not a pleasant picture. a lot of white lines or these isobars here. gale force winds around many coasts, windy inland, too, and also the possibility of what we call transient snow. so for a time, snow before it turns to rain across the highlands there. above around 200 metres, the possibility of around ten to 15 centimetres of snow, and some wet snow possibly further south for a time. temperatures between around freezing in the highlands with that wintry weather, ten in newcastle and more typically around 12 or 13 elsewhere. and the outlook remains very unsettled for the remainder of the week, and in the run—up to the new year mild windy, rain at times. bye— bye.

this is bbc news. the headlines. gaza's hamas—run health ministry says over 250 people killed in the last 2a hours, including 70 in a blast targeting the maghazi refugee camp. israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu visits gaza and says

the fighting will deepen in the coming days. protestors in serbia vow to block streets in the capital, belgrade, unless the government agrees to re—run recent elections, following claims of ballot rigging. for the first time in 100 years, many orthodox christians in ukraine celebrate christmas today, in a further shift from russia. king charles has delivered his annual christmas speech to the uk, calling on every person to protect each other at a time of what he calls "increasingly tragic conflict" around the world. now on bbc news, we look back at the year's biggest stories.