Israel’s population growth slowed in 2024 compared to the previous year, according to the state’s Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), with the slump mainly attributed to Israelis leaving the country.

At least 13 people died in strikes across the Gaza Strip in the early hours of 2025, local health and civil defense officials said.

Israel warned Wednesday that it will intensify its strikes in Gaza if Hamas keeps up its rocket fire, as Palestinian rescuers reported dozens of deaths from Israeli strikes on the first day of the New Year.

Gaza’s population dropped by 6% – about 160,000 people – in 2024, according to a new report, as Israel’s war against Hamas took a heavy toll on the Palestinian enclave’s demographics.