16-12-2023 (gaza) Three Israeli hostages held in Gaza were mistakenly shot and killed by Israeli troops, according to spokesperson Daniel Hagari in a statement on Friday evening.
The incident occurred in the Shujaiya neighborhood of Gaza City, where Israel Defense Forces (IDF) troops, operating in a combat zone marked by recent clashes, observed three men from a distance. Suspecting them to be Hamas attackers, the IDF soldiers opened fire. Following the shooting, the soldiers realized the men were not Palestinian attackers and retrieved their bodies for examination.
The spokesperson identified two of the victims as 28-year-old Yotam Haim from kibbutz Kfar Aza and 24-year-old Samer Fuad al-Talalka from the Bedouin town of Houra, who had been kidnapped from kibbutz Nir Am. The family of the third hostage requested that his name not be disclosed at this time.
During combat in Shejaiya, the IDF mistakenly identified 3 Israeli hostages as a threat and as a result, fired toward them and the hostages were killed. 1/1
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) December 15, 2023
Hagari addressed the press, stating, “The IDF began investigating the incident immediately. This is a combat zone where there have been many clashes in recent days. Immediate lessons from the incident are now being passed on to all the fighting forces in the field. The IDF expresses deep sorrow for the incident and shares in the grief of the families.”
The circumstances surrounding whether the three hostages managed to escape Hamas or were abandoned by their captors due to the intense fighting in the area remain unclear. The tragic incident underscores the challenges and complexities faced by military forces in conflict zones, emphasizing the need for thorough investigations and continuous efforts to prevent such unintended casualties.
