A country in mourning. Israel mourns the deaths of three hostages “accidentally” killed by its own soldiers in the Gaza Strip on Friday, December 15. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu immediately deplored “an unbearable tragedy” that left “the entire State of Israel in mourning.” Shortly after the announcement, families of hostages and supporters carrying photos of prisoners marched in front of the Israeli Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv to demand immediate approval for their release. Follow our live stream.
Three young men “mistakenly” identified as a “threat” by the IDF. The victims are Yotam Haïm, a 28-year-old drummer in a heavy metal band, Samer al-Talalqa, a 25-year-old Bedouin, and Alon Lulu Shamriz, 26, the Israeli army said, citing the bodies repatriated to Israel.
Al Jazeera journalist killed. As Israel mourns on Saturday, Qatar and Gaza also mourn after the death of Samer Abou Daqa, an Al Jazeera cameraman who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younes, the capital in southern Gaza, according to the Qatar Channel. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), more than 60 journalists and media workers have died since the start of the war.
A new point of contact for humanitarian aid in Gaza. After more than two months of war and a total siege by Israel since October 9, living conditions in Gaza are nightmarish for Palestinian civilians who are forced into ever smaller areas, the UN estimates. Israel on Friday approved the “temporary” opening of a new humanitarian access point in Gaza and continued its intensive airstrikes despite American pressure for more restraint.