“I asked for truce”, Biden and Netanyah deny there is pressure on Israel

Jesus ' Biblical birthplace this year, unlike previous years, seems like a ghost town on Christmas Eve, as celebrations in Bethlehem have been cancelled because of the Israeli-Hamas war. While Catholic clergy in the Vatican and Bethlehem have prayed for countries involved in war worldwide, Israel's operations against Hamas have continued with full intensity, while fire exchanges have also been reported at the border between Israel and Lebanon. The number of victims is increasing as the Israeli Army has announced an increase in the number of its soldiers killed during fighting this weekend.

More than ten Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza over the weekend, the Israeli Army announced on Sunday. The last days' wars have been among the worst since Hamas' terrorist attack on 7 October.

In all, Israel says it has lost 154 since the beginning of the military response to Hamas at the Gaza Strip.

According to Hamas' data, which has not been independently confirmed, so far over 20,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's air strikes and ground operation.

Smoke bubbles have been seen over the Gaza Strip on Sunday as Israel is making efforts to take control of the northern part of the territory.

A heavy smoke from fighting covered the sky at the border between Israel and Lebanon on Sunday morning, as explosions from the Israelite side could be heard.

Iran-backed Hezbollah has hit Israeli targets at the border since 7 October, increasing the risk of full involvement in the war of Hezbollah and other groups associated with Iran throughout the Middle East.

Israel says it has lost eight soldiers and four civilians in the shootout with Hezbollah.

President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Banam Netanyah have denied article in the American newspaper”Wall Street Journal<18x1> that the American president has pressured Israel to accept the truce in Gaza and not attack Hezbollah, as there is danger that the Lebanese militant group conducts a similar attack on Hamas on October 7th against Israel.

I developed a long conversation with Netanyah. It was a private conversation, but I didn't ask for truce”, President Biden told reporters as he left the White House for the presidential resort of Camp David.

Prime Minister Netanyahu, during the cabinet's weekly meeting Sunday, also denied that President Biden put pressure on military operations.

I spoke to President Biden on Saturday night. I've seen fake publications claiming that the United States is hindering us from field operations; that's not true. Israel is a sovereign state. Our decisions rely on our operational assessments. Our operation is not detected by external pressure”, Mr. Netanyahu said.

The White House has accused Tehran of being clearly involved in planning operations of the militant group jeenas, Houth to engage in the Israeli war Hamas and is supporting groups that attack American bases in the Middle East. But Iranian Foreign Minister Josein Amirabdullahian denied Washington's accusations.

At one point, the Americans asked us to advise Yemen not to act against Americans and even against the Israeli regime. We told them that Yemen has decided for itself how they want to interfere with the Gaza issue. We've never ordered them to do anything, but we'll never order them to stop their fight”, Said Iranian top diplomat.

Fighting in the Middle East and increasing numbers of victims have caused Christmas to be expected this year without a festive atmosphere in Bethlehem, the country of Jesus ' birth.

Christians make up about 2% of the population throughout Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, according to a campaign organised by church leaders in Jerusalem.

It's a very sad Christmas without the holiday atmosphere because we're at war. We are here to pray, not just for truce. We must stop these hostility. Christmas message is not violence, it's peace”, The patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizaballa, says.

On Sunday in Vatican Pope Francis prayed for people suffering from war.

We are close to our brothers and sisters who suffer from war. We think of Palestine, Israel, Ukraine. We also think of those who suffer from misery, hunger, slavery”, Pope Francis said.

Later in the evening, the Pope will hold Christmas Mass in St. Peter's Basilica. / VOA