The Israeli military admitted to the inadvertent killing of three Israeli hostages during a ground operation in the Gaza Strip, as confirmed by Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the army's chief spokesman. The hostages were mistakenly identified as a threat in the Shijaiyah area of Gaza City. The military expressed deep sorrow over the incident, which is currently under investigation.
Simultaneously, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was slated to meet with US officials to discuss postwar arrangements for Gaza, potentially involving the reactivation of Palestinian security forces ousted by Hamas in 2007. However, this proposal is expected to face strong opposition from Israel, which seeks to maintain a security presence in the region. The international community's call for a ceasefire has grown amidst Israel's persistent offensive against Hamas, drawing criticism, particularly from the United States, over civilian casualties.
In a separate development, an Israeli strike claimed the life of Al Jazeera journalist Samer Abu Daqqa and injured the network's chief correspondent, Wael Dahdouh, while they were reporting from a school in Khan Younis. This incident adds to the toll of journalists killed since the conflict erupted, with at least 63 casualties reported by The Committee to Protect Journalists.
