a “tragic error”, deplores Washington – L’Express

While there are still 132 hostages in Gaza, including bodies, three of them were killed “by mistake” by the Israeli army this Friday, December 15. An Al Jazeera journalist also lost his life in an Israeli strike in the Gaza Strip according to the Qatari channel, while the armed wing of Hamas indicated in a press release that it had fired rockets towards Jerusalem “in response to the Zionist massacres civilians”.

⇒ 3 hostages were killed “by mistake” by the Israeli army during fighting in northern Gaza

⇒ The White House evokes a “tragic error” regarding the death of these hostages

⇒ Several rockets were intercepted Friday evening above Jerusalem

Israel mourns this Saturday, December 16, the death of three hostages killed “by mistake” by its own soldiers in the Gaza Strip, where the army is increasing air raids despite pressure from its American ally for more restraint. These three Israelis aged 25, 26 and 28 were “misidentified” as a “threat” and killed by soldiers operating in Shujaiya, in the northern Gaza Strip.

Their bodies were repatriated to Israel, the Israeli army announced. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu immediately regretted “an unbearable tragedy” which plunged “the entire State of Israel into mourning”, while in Washington the White House spoke of a “tragic error”. Shortly after the announcement, families of hostages and supporters marched with photos of captives in front of the Israeli Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv to demand an immediate agreement for their release.

An Al Jazeera journalist was killed on Friday and another injured in an Israeli strike in the Gaza Strip, the Qatari channel reported. “It is with heavy hearts that we share the devastating news of the loss of our dedicated Al Jazeera cameraman, Samer Abou Daqa,” Mohamed Moawad, an editor at the television station, wrote on X.

Al-Jazeera previously reported that its Gaza bureau chief, Wael Dahdouh, and Abou Daqa, were injured at a school in Khan Younes (south) “following what is believed to be an Israeli drone attack “. According to Al-Jazeera, Abou Daqa was seriously injured but remained for hours at the scene of the strike, which emergency services did not reach because the road was blocked by the rubble of a house. Wael Dahdouh was injured in the arm and transferred to Nasser hospital in Khan Younès, noted an AFP journalist.

Several rockets were intercepted Friday evening above Jerusalem, shortly after the warning sirens were triggered, AFP journalists noted. Hamas’ military wing said in a statement that it had fired rockets toward Jerusalem “in response to the Zionist massacres of civilians.”

AFP journalists saw at least two rockets intercepted by the Israeli air defense system and heard three explosions. Six missiles were fired towards Jerusalem, three of which were intercepted, according to the Israeli army, which specified that the sirens last sounded in Jerusalem on October 30. According to Palestinian police in the occupied West Bank, a “missile” fell in an uninhabited area near Istishari hospital, northwest of Ramallah, without causing any casualties and its origin could not be immediately established. The emergency services did not report any casualties.