For today, links to reports from the Associated Press, National Public Radio, and Reuters, followed by a link to commentary, via Consortium News, by a British observer; other articles are accessible by clicking on their sources’ names or initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date, so far, is HERE.) — MCM

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3 hostages mistakenly killed by troops had been holding a white flag, Israeli military official says, by Najib Jobain, Julia Frankel and Samy Magdy | AP  JERUSALEM — Three Israeli hostages who were mistakenly shot by Israeli troops in the Gaza Strip had been waving a white flag and were shirtless when they were killed, an Israeli military official said today. Anger over the mistaken killings is likely to increase pressure on the Israeli government to . . . READ MORE . . .

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The IDF said it mistakenly killed 3 Israeli hostages held by Hamas. Reported by Scott Simon and Kat Lonsdorf | NPR  Israelis react to news that the military mistakenly killed three of the Israeli hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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U.S. wants shakeup of Palestinian Authority to run Gaza after Hamas, by Samia Nakhoul, Ali Sawafta and Matt Spetalnick | Reuters  — A succession of top U.S. officials have travelled to the West Bank in recent weeks to meet with Mahmoud Abbas in the hope the 88-year-old — a spectator in the war between Israel and Hamas — can overhaul his unpopular Palestinian Authority enough to run Gaza after the conflict. Abbas has . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM DEC. 15  Murder, by Craig Murray | CraigMurray.org.uk / Consortium News  Al Jazeera are leading their news with the execution of Palestinian civilians, including women and toddlers, inside the school in Jabalia where they were sheltering. They were all shot at point blank range, with no signs of a bomb or missile strike. On the BBC, the Daily Politics show — which consists of discussion between senior British MPs – does not discuss Palestine at . . . READ MORE . . .