News Wrap: Hundreds killed in Gaza over weekend of airstrikes, heavy combat

John Yang:

Good evening, I'm John Yang. On this Christmas Eve peace and harmony are were commodities in some parts of the world. In Gaza, this weekend has seen some of the most intense and bloodiest fighting of the war. More than 200 Palestinians dead according to the Hamas run Gaza health ministry, including at least 70 in an Israeli airstrike today.

And the Israeli military says that since Friday, 15 Israeli soldiers have been killed in combat, all told since October 7. Gaza officials say that roughly 20,400 Palestinians have been killed, and 154 Israeli soldiers have died. That's an addition to the 1200 Israelis killed in the initial Hamas attack on October 7.

Israel is unused to big numbers of military casualties. So these numbers hit hard. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in the Cabinet meeting, that it's the sacrifice needed to free the 129 hostages still held by Hamas.

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister (through translator):

The war exacts a very heavy price from us, but we have no choice but to continue fighting, continue with all the force until the end until victory until we reach all our goals.

John Yang:

In Bethlehem revered by Christians as the traditional birthplace of Jesus, there are empty streets instead of the festive decorations and crowds of international tourists of past Christmas Eves. In one churches display the baby Jesus is wrapped in a cafeteria and lies on a pile of rubble. Munther Isaac is a Lutheran pastor in Bethlehem.

Rev. Munther Isaac, Pastor, Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church:

This is what Christmas looks like in Palestine, with occupation with destruction with the bombardment of children. While the world is celebrating, our children are under the world rubble. While the world is celebrating our families are displaced and their homes are destroyed. So this is Christmas to us in Palestine.

John Yang:

In Europe, Security is tight after an alert about a possible terror attack. At the Cologne Cathedral in Germany, worshippers faced security checks.

In the United States dreams of a white Christmas will go unanswered outside of the Mountain West. For much of the rest of the country Christmas Day is expected to be unseasonally warm and wet. That's in sharp contrast to last year when a cold snap brought snow, ice and frost in many parts of the United States.

This year it's been mild in the upper Midwest and northern plains. In Minneapolis today it was in the 50s well above the previous record high for the day of 46. This caps what's expected to be the warmest year on record.

Still to come on PBS News Weekend, a new documentary captures the resilience of soldiers and civilians on Ukraine's frontlines, and the lucrative business of Christmas music.