Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 10:04am on 17 Dec 2023,Sunday International
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed Saturday that military force remains necessary against Hamas, even after Israeli troops mistakenly killed three hostages in Gaza. Carrying a white flag, the captives cried out in Hebrew before being fired upon. Families of remaining prisoners pled for ceasefire talks, but Netanyahu claimed negotiations require ongoing military pressure. The "tragic" friendly fire deaths occurred amid Israel's relentless bombardment of Gaza, leaving 18,800 dead since October. Netanyahu stands firm, arguing military assault enables "the return of the kidnapped and...victory." But the killings have intensified scrutiny of civilian casualties, with the U.S. voicing concern. Netanyahu remains steadfast in using force.
