In a targeted Israeli airstrike outside Damascus, the capital of Syria, a senior adviser in Iran's Revolutionary Guards was killed, according to three security sources. Sayyed Razi Mousavi, who was responsible for coordinating the military alliance between Syria and Iran, lost his life in the attack. The Israeli airstrike, which occurred on Monday, marked a significant development in the ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran.

The news of Mousavi's death was reported by Iran's state television, which highlighted his long-standing role as one of the oldest advisers of the Revolutionary Guards in Syria. The television network also noted that Mousavi had been accompanying Qassem Soleimani, the head of the Guards' elite Quds Force, who was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Iraq in 2020.

This targeted strike follows Iran's Revolutionary Guards issuing a statement, read on Iranian state TV, vowing that Israel "will pay" for its actions. The IRGC described Mousavi as a brigadier-general and condemned the "usurper and savage Zionist regime" for its role in the killing. This event further complicates the already tense relations between the two nations.

Meanwhile, the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues to escalate, with reports of more Palestinian casualties. Medics confirmed that an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis in southern Gaza resulted in the deaths of 23 people, bringing the total number of Palestinian fatalities overnight to over 100. Additionally, at least 70 people were killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting Maghazi in central Gaza. Health officials reported that eight people were also killed as Israeli planes and tanks conducted numerous air strikes on houses and roads in al-Bureij and al-Nusseirat.

The situation has drawn international attention, with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, using his Christmas Day sermon to address the suffering of children caught up in the Israel-Hamas war. Welby expressed concern for the plight of children, referring specifically to the dire conditions at the Anglican al-Ahli hospital in Gaza, surrounded by suffering and death.

In response to the ongoing conflict, Hamas and the allied Islamic Jihad have rejected an Egyptian proposal for relinquishing power in the Gaza Strip in exchange for a permanent ceasefire. Egyptian security sources revealed that both groups rejected offering any concessions beyond the possible release of more hostages seized on October 7th.

With the death of a senior Iranian Revolutionary Guards member and the increasing casualties in Gaza, the tensions in the region continue to rise. The international community calls for an immediate cessation of violence and urges all parties involved to prioritize the well-being and safety of innocent civilians caught in the crossfire.

According to Gaza's health ministry, since October 7th, a total of 20,674 people have been killed and 54,536 injured in Israeli strikes on Gaza. The ministry reported that in the past 24 hours alone, 250 Palestinians had been killed and 500 injured. Pope Francis also addressed the situation in his Christmas message, denouncing the Israeli strikes and calling for an end to the loss of innocent civilian lives.