Morning Briefing: Dec. 17, 2023

By Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) – Here is a rundown of all the news that you need to start your Sunday, including Al Jazeera preparing to file a complaint with the International Criminal Court on the killing of its cameraman in Gaza in Israel attacks, the death of Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah, and the killing by an Israeli sniper of a mother and daughter inside Gaza's only Catholic church.

TOP STORIES

• Al Jazeera to file complaint with ICC on cameraman's death in Gaza

Al Jazeera announced Saturday announced it will file a complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC) regarding the death of its cameraman Samer Abu Dhaka, who was killed in Israeli attacks against Gaza.

The Qatar-based news agency said in a statement that a team of lawyers and experts will prepare a report related to Abu Dhaka's killing and submit it to the ICC.

It noted that the report would include attacks on Al Jazeera personnel working in Palestinian territories.

Abu Daqqa was injured from shrapnel as a result of Israel's attacks near the Ferkhane School, according to Al Jazeera.

He took refuge in an area near the Ferkhane School, where attacks continued, and ambulances could not enter the area that was surrounded by Israeli forces.

First aid teams were not allowed to enter the besieged area for hours and treat the journalist who was bleeding. He could not be taken to the hospital.

• Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah dies at 86

Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah died on Saturday at the age of 86, his office announced.

Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, the minister of Amiri Diwan affairs, said Sheikh Nawaf was admitted to the hospital this morning due to emergency health problems and got necessary treatment, state news agency KUNA reported.

The emir was hospitalized last month for an "emergency health issue," and his condition at the time was said to be stable.

The Kuwaiti Cabinet named Crown Prince Sheikh Meshaal Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah as the new emir.

• Israeli sniper kills mother, daughter inside Gaza's only Catholic church

An Israeli sniper killed a mother and her daughter, and injured seven others in the only Catholic church in the Gaza Strip, said the local Latin Catholic Church authority.

"An Israeli army sniper assassinated two Christian women (Nahed and her daughter Samar) inside the parish of the Holy Family in Gaza on Saturday," said the Latin Patriarchate's media office, based in Jerusalem, though the church is in Gaza City.

The office said one of the women fell while trying to rescue the other as they were headed to the monastery of the nuns. Additionally, seven others were injured while attempting to assist, it said.

"Gunfire was directed at them inside the walls of the monastery, and there was no resistance in the area," it added.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• The Swedish government agreed to go ahead with a proposal to send prisoners abroad due to overcrowding and it expects it will continue for years to come.
  
• A large crowd in central London held a silent march Saturday in solidarity with health care workers in the Gaza Strip to demand a cease-fire.
• China launched a new remote-sensing satellite into space.
• Japan will provide rescue boats to the Malaysian military under official security assistance and offered surveillance drones to Kuala Lumpur.
• The Israeli army arrested 16 more people, including a female cancer patient, bringing the number of Palestinians detained in the occupied West Bank in East Jerusalem to 4,520 since Oct. 7.
• Palestinian Health Minister Mai al-Kaila demanded an investigation into reports of the Israeli army burying victims alive in the vicinity of the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza.
• Pakistan rejected a top Indian court's ruling on the status of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, and said the internationally recognized disputed territory cannot be settled under domestic law.
• Italy and the UK agreed to jointly finance a repatriation project for migrants stuck in Tunisia.
• Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis said cooperation with Türkiye will lead to a new roadmap for dialogue.
• An Iranian fighter jet crashed in the southern Fars province and the pilot ejected safely.
  
• Türkiye expects “positive and solid steps” from the US for its purchase and modernization of F-16 warplanes, Türkiye’s national defense minister said Saturday.
  
• US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported Saturday that it shot down 14 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the Red Sea.
  
• The German army needs five to eight years to address its shortcomings, the German defense minister said Saturday.

SPORTS

• Defending champions Barcelona held to 1-1 draw at Valencia

Valencia fought to a 1-1 home draw against Barcelona in a Spanish LaLiga match Saturday as the visitors dropped points in the league's title race.

Midfielder Joao Felix broke the deadlock in the 55th minute to give Barcelona a 1-0 lead at Valencia's Mestalla Stadium.

But Valencia midfielder Hugo Guillamon scored a classy equalizer, sending the ball into the top corner of the net in the 70th minute.

• English Premier League match called off after Luton captain Lockyer collapses

"The Premier League match between Bournemouth and Luton has been abandoned due to a player medical incident. Our thoughts are with Tom Lockyer and all players involved in today's match," the league wrote on X.

Lockyer, a 29-year-old Welsh defender, received medical treatment on the pitch before he was taken off on a stretcher.

Luton confirmed that Lockyer was "thankfully responsive" and he was taken to hospital.

The score was 1-1 at Bournemouth when the match was halted in the second half.