Gazans hunt for bodies as Israelis also count cost and mull ceasefire

Israel's war cabinet is to discuss a proposal from Egypt to end the Gaza war, according to the Jerusalem Post newspaper on Monday, as Palestinians and Israelis continue to count the cost of the conflict.

While Gazans searched for bodies after the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health said Israeli raids on Al-Maghazi had killed more than 70, Hamas said its fighters have inflicted heavy losses of life on Israeli forces - with Western media reports partly agreeing.

The push for peace is intensifying amid the deaths, with the Jerusalem Post quoting an official from Islamic Jihad - allied to the militant Palestinian organization Hamas in Gaza - as saying that talks in Cairo would centre on "ways to end the Israeli aggression on our people."

The Times of Israel newspaper reported that Israeli officials confirmed that Egypt had submitted a new proposal for a ceasefire and the release of further Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip.

In a statement released Monday evening, Hamas said it will not settle for a temporary ceasefire, and instead is calling for a permanent truce.

"We emphasize that there will be no negotiations without a comprehensive end to the aggression," Hamas said.

The Hamas leadership is pushing for "a complete and not just temporary end to the massacre of our people," the statement further noted.

But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on a troop visit on Monday that his nation will "deepen the fight in the coming days," seemingly dashing any hope of an immediate cessation.

Netanyahu said on Sunday that they would continue to fight until Hamas had been completely defeated.

The Israeli army's offensive to eliminate Hamas from Gaza was triggered by the worst massacre in Israel's history, carried out by terrorists from Hamas and other groups on October 7. Around 1,200 people were killed. About 240 were taken hostage, some of whom were released during a brief truce.

Large parts of Gaza have been destroyed during the Israeli offensive. According to the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health, more than 20,400 people have been killed.

A large proportion of the 2.2 million inhabitants of the coastal enclave have fled their homes.

Saudi TV channel Asharq News reported on Sunday, citing sources, that Egypt's proposal envisaged an end to the war in several stages.

In the first phase, the aim would be to enforce a ceasefire lasting at least two weeks. During this time, 40 hostages would be released.

In return, Israel would release 120 Palestinian prisoners. This would be followed by dialogue under the auspices of Egypt.

A third phase would then provide for a complete ceasefire and a comprehensive agreement on the exchange of hostages and prisoners.

In a final step, Israel would withdraw its army and all displaced persons could return to their homes.

The carnage continues for now though, with the Al-Maghazi neighbourhood of Gaza the latest to be hit.

The tally of over 70 dead from Sunday's airstrikes could not be independently verified. Women and children were also among the victims, the ministry said.

According to UN figures, more than 33,000 people live in Al-Maghazi. The Israeli army said it was investigating the reports.

There were also reports of airstrikes on the Gazan neighbourhood of Al-Bureij. On Friday, the Israeli army called on the people there to flee, even though many have no electricity so miss the warnings.

They were told to seek shelter in Deir al-Balah, about six kilometres to the south, despite Israel previously hitting areas it said were safe.

Meanwhile, the Times of Israel reported that 156 Israeli soldiers have been killed in the two-month ground offensive following the attacks on Israel on October 7.

Hamas is increasing Israeli losses by switching to guerrilla tactics, the Wall Street Journal reported, with 14 Israeli soldiers killed on the weekend alone.

The Hamas head in Gaza, Yehya al-Sinwar, spoke of a bitter, brutal and unprecedented battle against Israel being fought by the Qassam Brigades, the organization's armed wing, in a letter to colleagues.

He asserted that the Qassam Brigades had attacked at least 5,000 Israeli soldiers, killing a third, seriously injuring another third and permanently incapacitating another third.

These figures contradict the Israeli figures in the conflict.

Al-Sinwar also wrote that 750 Israeli military vehicles had been completely or partially destroyed.

Hamas's Gaza chief concluded by saying that the Qassam Brigades had "crushed" Israeli troops and were in the process of decimating them. The armed wing of Hamas would not submit to Israeli conditions for an end to the armed hostilities, he added.

News channel Al-Jazeera said Islamic Jihad had also announced on Monday that it would continue to fight in response to the bloodshed.

The highest representative of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, expressed solidarity with the people in the Gaza Strip and Israel at a Christmas midnight mass in Bethlehem.

Cardinal Pizzaballa compared the situation to the biblical story of Mary and Joseph, for whom there was no room in the inn.

Pope Francis used his Christmas message in Rome to call for the end to the Gaza war and a lasting solution to the conflict.