For today, only two links, to reports from the Associated Press and the Anadolu Agency; other articles are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (SYRIA and UKRAINE  entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Israeli strikes in Gaza kill at least 22 as Vatican envoy visits Christians for pre-Christmas Mass, by Wafaa Shurafa and Tia Goldenberg | AP  DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip overnight and into today killed at least 22 people, including five children, Palestinian medical officials said, while Gaza’s small Christian community celebrated a pre-Christmas Mass. READ MORE . . .

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Israeli government still far from reaching prisoner swap agreement with Hamas: report, by Said Amori and Ekrem Biceroglu | Anadolu Agency   JERUSALEM — Israeli officials said on Saturday the Israeli government is still far from reaching a prisoner swap agreement with Hamas. READ MORE . . .