December 15, 2023 - Daily Digest

Major verdict in the United States as additional hostages are killed in Gaza

Today is December 15, 2023, and here are the critical stories that you may have missed. If you enjoy these digests and want access to more, exclusive content then consider becoming a monthly subscriber at the link below:

1) Rudy Giuliani Ordered To Pay $148 Million

A DC jury ordered disgraced former NYC Mayor and Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani to pay total damages of $148 million for defaming Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss. The jury awarded $16,171,000 in compensatory damages to Ruby Freeman, $16,998,000 in compensatory damages to Shaye Moss, $20 million each for intentional infliction of emotional distress, and $75 million in punitive damages. This was a unanimous decision among the eight jurors. They had asked for $24 million each in actual damages but said they would leave it up to the jury to determine the amount of punitive damages that was necessary "to send a message" to others who would use lies to put election workers' lives in danger. While Giuliani is expected to appeal the verdict, this is a major win for Freeman and Moss who suffered significant abuse as a result of Giuliani’s lies to the public.

2) Israeli Military Mistakenly Shoots Three Hostages

The Israeli military has announced that it mistakenly killed three Israeli hostages in Gaza during a combat mission. According to IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari, “During combat in Shejaiya (in northern Gaza), the IDF mistakenly identified three Israeli hostages as a threat. As a result, the troops fired toward them and they were killed. During searches and checks in the area in which the incident occurred, a suspicion arose over the identities of the deceased. Their bodies were transferred to Israeli territory for examination, after which it was confirmed that they were three Israeli hostages.”

As a result of this terrible incident, the Israeli military is expected to exercise increased caution when conducting operations in Gaza. In response to this devastating news, Prime Minister Netanyahu stated: “This an unbearable tragedy. The whole state of Israel is grieving this evening. My heart goes out to the families aching during their time of immense grief. I would like to send strength to our brave soldiers focusing on this sacred mission of returning our hostages, even with the price of sacrificing their own lives.”

Remember, although the Israeli military was responsible for the deaths of the hostages, these hostages should not have been in Gaza in the first place. Hamas, a terrorist organization, continues to hold over 100 innocent hostages, including at least one Americans citizen. These hostages must be released without any conditions.

3) Additional Aid To Enter Gaza

For the first time since the October 7th terrorist attacks, Israel has allowed additional aid to enter Gaza through Israel. Thus far, all aid that entered the Gaza Strip has come through the Rafah border crossing in Egypt. According to a statement released by the Isareli War Cabinet, “As part of the agreement to release our abductees, Israel undertook to deliver food and humanitarian aid from Egypt to the civilian population in Gaza, a volume of 200 trucks per day. The Rafah crossing is only able to pass 100 trucks a day during an Israeli security check that is already being carried out today at the 'Kerem Shalom' crossing.”