16 dec 2023 om 00:59
NU.nl regularly gives you an overview of the situation in Israel and the Palestinian Territories. This time: the Israeli army “accidentally” kills three hostages and the European Union is still too divided to come up with a new declaration on war in Gaza.
Developments in Israel and the Palestinian Territories are following each other in rapid succession. We therefore regularly list recent events. Subscribe to the tag ‘Gaza conflict update’ to receive a notification when we post another overview like this.
The Israeli army (IDF) said it “accidentally” shot dead three Israeli hostages on Friday. They were “mistaken as a threat” by troops during a battle in northern Gaza, an IDF spokesman said. The soldiers then shot at the hostages.
According to the Times of Israel it concerns Yotam Haim and Samar Talalka, both of whom were kidnapped from a kibbutz by Hamas on October 7. It is not yet known who the third hostages were. The three were said to have just escaped when they encountered Israeli soldiers.
The IDF says it “deeply regrets the tragic incident” and takes responsibility. The Israeli military says it will provide “full transparency” during the investigation into the incident.
Israel has also found and repatriated three bodies of dead hostages. It concerns three men, including two 19-year-old soldiers and a 28-year-old with a French passport. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his condolences: “Our compatriot Elia Toledano has passed away and I share the shock and sadness of the family.” Nothing has been released about the cause of death of the three hostages.
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EU too divided over Gaza to come up with a joint statement
The countries of the European Union have too different views on the war in the Gaza Strip to express a united view on its course. More and more EU member states want to increase pressure on Israel after months of heavy bombing. They want the EU to speak out on this. More pro-Israel countries such as Germany are against this.
It is no surprise that after hours of meetings there is no new explanation. In the run-up to the EU summit, the differences appeared to be too great, diplomats noted. The President of the Council of EU Heads of Government therefore did not aim for written conclusions.
Second border crossing open
Israel allows aid to enter the Gaza Strip through a second border crossing with Egypt, at Kerem Shalom. The crossing initially functioned only as a checkpoint for goods. Until now, humanitarian aid has only entered Gaza through the Rafah border. Only about a hundred trucks per day were allowed there. With the opening of the border post at Kerem Shalom, two hundred trucks carrying humanitarian supplies should be allowed in per day.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is becoming increasingly dire. The UN is warning of a humanitarian disaster and says the healthcare system has effectively collapsed. UN agencies also indicate that as long as the bombings and violence continue, it will be virtually impossible to distribute humanitarian aid to other cities in the Gaza Strip except Rafah, where the aid is arriving.
Al Jazeera cameraman killed
A cameraman from Al Jazeera was killed on Friday in an Israeli rocket strike in the Gaza Strip. Samer Abu Daqqa was reporting an Israeli attack on a school in Khan Younis when he and his bureau chief Wael al Dahdouh were hit. According to Al Jazeera Rescue workers could not immediately reach Abu Daqqa because the ambulance first had to get permission from the Israeli troops and then could not get to the site of the attack because there was rubble from a destroyed house on the only route leading there.
2023-12-15 23:59:45
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