For today, links to three reports: from Middle East Eye, National Public Radio and the Associated Press; others are accessible by clicking on their initials below. (Scroll down for GAZA 12-16-25 and for LEBANON and WEST BANK.) — MCM

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Seventeen Palestinians, including children, die as buildings collapse in Gaza. From Middle East Eye. Seventeen Palestinians, including four children, have died after buildings collapsed in the Gaza Strip due to the extreme cold, Al Jazeera reported, citing Civil Defence in Gaza. Click HERE for photos from previous days.

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U.S. looks for countries willing to send peacekeepers to Gaza to maintain peace. Reported by Daniel Estrin and Steve Inskeep | NPR  After a ceasefire that has lasted more than two months, the U.S. is pushing for a lasting peace in Gaza. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM DEC. 16  Gaza families struggle to recover from days of torrential rains that killed 12 people, by Wafaa Shurafa and Melanie Lidman | AP  DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — The downpour dumped more than 150 milliliters (9 inches) of rain on some parts of Gaza over the past week, turned dirt lanes to mud and flooded tents in camps for displaced people. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish, and HERE for others.

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