Israeli forces mistakenly kill 3 hostages in Gaza as U.S. urges more limited war

Amna Nawaz:

There is fresh tragedy tonight in the war between Israel and Hamas.

Israeli troops mistakenly shot and killed three hostages today in Gaza City. That news came as Israel kept up an unrelenting bombardment of Gaza, and a top American envoy pressed them to curtail the combat.

As Israel pounds the Gaza Strip with airstrikes, and IDF troops advance on the ground, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan today laid out his vision for the future of a more limited war.

Jake Sullivan, U.S. National Security Adviser:

There will be a transition to another phase of this war, one that is focused in more precise ways on targeting the leadership and on intelligence-driven operations that continues to deal with the ongoing threat that Hamas poses.

Amna Nawaz:

Later in the occupied West Bank, Sullivan spoke with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Gaza after the war. The U.S. wants the Palestinian Authority to help govern, a plan Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejects us.

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister (through interpreter):

There is disagreement about the day after Hamas. I will not allow the entry into Gaza of those who educate for terrorism, support terrorism, and finance terrorism.

Amna Nawaz:

Abbas also expressed concern today for Palestinians outside of Gaza, telling Sullivan that the U.S. must — quote — "intervene to force Israel to stop its aggression against our people in the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem."

The West Bank has seen an uptick in violence since October 7, both by extremist Israeli settlers and the IDF, killing at least 287 Palestinian. In the Gaza Strip, the death toll is quickly approaching 20,000. Outside of a hospital in Rafah this morning, mourners, including Youssef Abed, prayed and wept for victims yet to be identified.

Youssef Abed, Displaced Gazan (through interpreter):

Until now, no one came to confirm their identities. So we hope that someone comes to identify and bury them. We need people to identify their children who are dead to know where they are from.

Amna Nawaz:

He fears there is no one left who could recognize them.

The IDF announced this morning it recovered the bodies of three Israeli hostages in Gaza, Elia Toledano taken from the Nova Music Festival, and soldiers Ron Sherman and Nik Beizer. The IDF later reported the death of three other hostages by friendly fire, which they're investigating, Samer Talalka, Yotam Haim, and Alon Shamriz.

Also today, the world's largest shipping company, Maersk, said it is pausing all container ship traffic through the Red Sea indefinitely, citing safety concerns, this after repeated missile strikes on commercial vessels by Houthi rebels in Yemen backed by Iran, who say they're targeting ships headed for Israel. The attacks have renewed concerns that the war could spread into a broader regional conflict.