the hamas run health ministry is that the air strike hit a densely populated residential block in central gaza. several buildings in very close proximity to one another. one man who had lost his daughter, his grandchildren and his son in law had said that his family was ordered to evacuate from gaza city because of the israeli military operation. he said, we came to central gaza only to die. he said, there s just no safe place. there are two big challenges ahead after this. one is that the palestinian red crescent said because of the air strike has caused the main road connecting these refugee camps to shut down. that s going to make it very difficult for rescue teams, for ambulances to get through. but also remember that most hospitals in gaza are struggling, whether it s fuel or lack of supplies or water. so as this rescue operation struggles, so will the medical situation. the world health organization has described the situation at gaza s largest hospital, as absolut
correspondent in the next hour. the united nations estimates 1.9 million of gaza s 2.4 million population have been displaced that s nearly all of the population. hesham al sayyad works for penny appeal, a charity that provides medical aid and emergency food in the middle east and africa. he told us about the hundreds of thousands of palestinians displaced as a result of the israeli offensive. anyone displaced is not right, but we go back to now the amount of people displaced in gaza, especially now in the rafah governorate because of the bombings that have been happening in the south. you have a place now in the rafah governorate which is basically desert, that people have been displaced. there is 1.2 million people living in a place which can probably house at most 200,000 people in an area the size of heathrow airport. if you can imagine 1.2 million people living in an area the size of heathrow airport living on top of one another, with no irrigation, no water supplies,
elliott. health workers from across the uk have gathered at kings cross this afternoon, to hold a multi faith vigil for those suffering in the conflict in the middle east. leaders from the jewish, muslim and christian faiths are uniting to call for a ceasefire. our reporter tom brada was there and spoke to the representatives from the faith groups. the aim was to highlight that the violence in this area has been so extreme over the last few months and to call for peace. so i think the key message this year, as we approach christmas day tomorrow, is to remember that christmas should be a time of peace, this is the right time to call for an end to violence and for a peaceful solution to the crisis in gaza. and for a peaceful solution to the crisis in gaza. and you are from the british just crisis in gaza. and you are from the british just activist crisis in gaza. and you are from the british just activist group crisis in gaza. and you are from the british just activist g
this is bbc news. let s take you live to the vatican. this is st peter s basilica where the annual midnight mass is being held. it is being presided over, led by pope francis this year. we understand he has been commenting on the conflict that has been taking place, of course, within the region of gaza, and also at the moment expanding out, the concern there. he has h, our hearts are in bethlehem, where the principle of peace is once more rejected by the futile logic of war. it prevents him from finding room in the world, the very land where he was born. choral singing. the world health organization says the decimation of gaza s health system is a tragedy. the enclave s health ministry says over 20,400 have been killed since the war began in october. health workers from across the uk gathered in central london today, to hold a multi faith vigil for those suffering in the conflict. leaders from the jewish, muslim and christian faiths united to call for a ceasefire. our reporte