Morning Briefing: Dec. 25, 2023

By Seda Sevencan

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here is a rundown of all the news that you need to start your Monday with, including the number of journalists killed by Israel in Gaza, 15 more Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza battles, and terrorists "neutralized" by Türkiye since the Friday terror attacks in northern Iraq.

TOP STORIES

• Number of journalists killed in Gaza rises to 103: Government media office

Two more Palestinian journalists were killed in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, bringing the death toll to 103 since Oct. 7, the government media office said.

In a statement, the media office identified the two victims as Mohamed Younis al-Zaytouniyah, a sound engineer for the Palestinian Al-Rai Radio, and Mohamed Abdel-Khaleq Al-Af, a photojournalist for the local Al-Rai Agency, who lost their lives in Israeli attacks in the northern Gaza Strip.

• 15 more Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza battles: Army

Two more Israeli soldiers were killed in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, bringing the military death toll in the past 24 hours to 16, the army said.

A military statement said a soldier from the 79th Battalion, 14th Assault Brigade, was killed in clashes in the northern Gaza Strip.

The number of Israeli officers and soldiers killed since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict has climbed to 489 since Oct. 7, according to military figures.

• Number of terrorists ‘neutralized’ in northern Iraq rose to 30, says Turkish defense minister

The number of terrorists "neutralized" since the Friday terror attacks in northern Iraq has increased to 30, Türkiye's national defense minister said on Sunday.

Yasar Guler said in a statement posted by the Defense Ministry on X that the number of terrorists "neutralized" following the terror attacks in the Claw-Lock region of northern Iraq has risen to 30.

Since the PPK terrorist attack on Friday, which killed 12 soldiers, Turkish airstrikes have destroyed dozens of terror targets in northern Iraq and Syria, neutralizing many terrorists.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• An Israeli airstrike on Al-Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza has killed at least 70 people, a spokesman for the Health Ministry in the enclave said.

• Taiwan claimed that at least eight Chinese fighter jets and a balloon crossed over the median line of the Taiwan Strait over the past 24 hours.

• An explosion at a Chinese-funded nickel-processing plant in eastern Indonesia killed at least 13 people and injured dozens, local media reported.

• Four people were killed in Russian forces attacks in different regions of Ukraine, an official said, adding that its forces also shot down 14 drones.

• Thousands of residents in Australia's eastern state of Queensland were without power after a "very dangerous" storm swept through the region for the second time in 12 hours, local media reported.

• Israeli forces killed a child in a hospital in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis

• Türkiye's National Intelligence Organization (MIT) "neutralized" a Syrian national codenamed Bahoz Afrin, who was the so-called ringleader of the terror group in the Ayn al-Arab region in northern Syria, Turkish security sources said.

• The UN Palestinian refugee agency warned that a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate increase in humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip may do little without a truce.

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• The UN Palestinian refugee agency said that 142 employees had been killed in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7.

SPORTS

• Wolverhampton Wanderers beat Chelsea 2-1 in Premier League

Wolverhampton Wanderers beat Chelsea 2-1 in a week 18 match of the English Premier League.

Chelsea, which suffered their eighth loss this season, are in 10th place with 22 points in the standings, while Wolves are just behind with a goal difference.​​​​​​​