Israel has been expanding its network of buffer zones and military bases in the Gaza Strip in recent months. Over 600 buildings have been demolished and about a dozen new bases have been built around the Netzarim Corridor in the past three months. Israel's actions are said to be aimed at isolating Palestinians and taking full control of the area.

A terrorist attack at a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg has left a large number of people dead and injured. According to the Magdeburg rescue service, between 60 and 80 people were injured in the incident. The attacker, who killed at least 11 people and injured more than 80, is believed to be from Saudi Arabia.

Kyrgyzstan's Jogorku Kenesh (parliament) has rejected a bill that would have banned the filming of police officers with the aim of discrediting them. The bill would have allowed police officers to be filmed on duty and fined or arrested for distributing the footage.

Uzbek citizen Akhmadjon Kurbanov has been charged with premeditated murder, terrorist acts, and weapons possession in connection with the deaths of Russian Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov and his assistant Ilya Polikarpov in a Moscow explosion. According to the Basmanny Court's decision, Kurbanov will remain in custody until February 17, 2025, pending investigation.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said that Israel's denial of clean water to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip could amount to genocide and war crimes. According to the report, Palestinians in Gaza are deprived of even 15 liters of water a day, the minimum standard needed to survive.

The director of school No. 8 in the Chartok district of Namangan region was dismissed for organizing a gambling game in his office. His actions were considered a violation of internal regulations, and his employment contract was terminated. An investigation into the incident is currently underway.

It has been 441 days since Israel launched its war of aggression and genocide in the Gaza Strip. Key events that took place in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and the entire Middle East over the past 24 hours.

Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed the need to tighten requirements for migrants from Central Asia during his December 19 broadcast of the "Year in Review with Vladimir Putin" program. He said migrants must respect the culture and laws of the places they live in Russia.

Kazakhstan has not designated the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham group, which fought against former government forces in Syria, as a terrorist organization, Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Alibek Bakayev said in an interview with BES.media.

Protests against the Georgian government's decision to suspend EU membership talks until 2028 have been ongoing for 22 days. Protesters took to the streets of the capital Tbilisi again overnight to express their dissatisfaction with the government's actions.