Palestinian death toll from Israeli attacks in Gaza rises to 45,658

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Palestinian death toll from Israeli attacks in Gaza rises to 45,658

2025-01-04 03:24 Last Updated At：05:17

The Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 45,658, with 108,583 others injured, the Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Friday.

In the past 24 hours alone, at least 77 people were killed and 145 others were injured in Gaza, according to the statement.

Israeli airstrikes targeted Gaza City in the northern Gaza Strip on Friday, killing seven people, including four children. Several others were injured, some of whom are in critical condition.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military has threatened medical teams, patients, and staff at Al-Awda Hospital in northern Gaza, warning that the facility will be bombed unless they evacuate immediately.

The Hamas-run media office reported on Friday that the Israel Defense Forces continue to destroy hospitals in northern Gaza, leaving approximately 40,000 Palestinians without access to medical services.

On the same day, the Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Amy Pope, stated that the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has worsened due to freezing winter temperatures and recent rainfall. Meanwhile, humanitarian aid entering the region remains severely limited, leaving residents in urgent need of shelters and other essential supplies.

According to a UN report released in mid-December last year, at least 945,000 Gazans are in urgent need of winter items such as warm clothing, blankets, and tarpaulins.

The IOM has reiterated its call for all parties involved in the conflict to immediately cease fire, release detainees, protect Gaza's civilians, and ensure the uninterrupted flow of humanitarian aid.

Hamas confirmed on Friday that indirect negotiations with Israel have resumed in Doha, Qatar, with the goal of achieving a complete ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

In a statement, Hamas said that the latest round of talks is expected to focus on achieving a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire, securing the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and facilitating the safe and prompt return of displaced Palestinians to their homes.

U.S. stocks close higher amid criminal probe into Fed chair Powell

U.S. stocks finished slightly higher on Monday, staging a late-session recovery as investors navigated a volatile landscape marked by a criminal probe into the Federal Reserve leadership.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 86.13 points, or 0.17 percent, to 49,590.2. The S&P 500 added 10.99 points, or 0.16 percent, to 6,977.27. The Nasdaq Composite Index increased by 62.56 points, or 0.26 percent, to 23,733.9. Despite the positive close, the market experienced significant intraday turbulence, with the Dow dropping nearly 500 points at its session lows.

Nine of the 11 primary S&P 500 sectors ended in positive territory. Consumer staples and industrials led the gainers, rising 1.42 percent and 0.75 percent, respectively. Financials and energy were the primary laggards, declining 0.8 percent and 0.66 percent.

Market sentiment was initially shaken by an announcement on Sunday from Fed Chair Jerome Powell, who confirmed that federal prosecutors are investigating him over the Fed's multi-billion-dollar project to renovate its headquarters. Powell characterized the probe as an attempt by the Trump administration to compromise the Fed's independence.

Further weighing on the financial sector was a proposal by U.S. President Donald Trump to cap credit card interest rates at 10 percent for one year, which triggered a sell-off in banking stocks amid concerns over restricted lending and reduced profitability. Capital One shares plummeted 6.42 percent, while Citigroup, JPMorgan and Bank of America also recorded losses.

In contrast, retail giant Walmart led the Dow's advance, climbing 3 percent following news of its upcoming inclusion in the Nasdaq 100 index. The company also announced a strategic partnership with Google's Gemini AI to enhance the digital shopping experience.

Investors are awaiting Tuesday's release of the U.S. consumer price index for December 2025. Following last week's cooling labor market data, market participants increasingly expect the Fed to maintain interest rates at their current levels during the upcoming January meeting.