- Home
- War in the Middle East
- First Elements of the Investigation on Hostages Killed in Gaza
©(Ahmad GHARABLI, AFP)
The Israeli army made public on Saturday, December 16, the initial findings of the investigation into the killing of three hostages by one of its soldiers in Gaza. There are currently 129 hostages still being held captive in the Hamas-controlled enclave.
The Israeli army said Saturday that three hostages mistakenly killed by soldiers carried a white flag and cried for help in Hebrew.
Yotam Haim, Alon Shamriz and Samer el-Talalqa -- all in their 20s -- were shot during operations in Gaza City on Friday, sparking protests in Israel.
They were among about 250 people taken hostage during Palestinian militant group Hamas's October 7 attacks in Israel, which killed around 1,140 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures.
Army spokesman Daniel Hagari said that during fighting in the Shejaiya district of Gaza City, troops "mistakenly identified three Israeli hostages as a threat and as a result, fired toward them and the hostages were killed."
An army official said the hostages were all "without shirts" and had "a stick with a white cloth on it," but a soldier felt threatened and opened fire.
"Two are killed immediately, one is injured and runs back into the building," the official said, adding that the soldiers heard "a cry for help... in Hebrew."
Despite a ceasefire order, "there's another burst of fire towards the third figure and he also dies."
The official called it a "tragic" event and a "very hard day," but said the troops had faced "intense combat in the area."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described their deaths as an "unbearable tragedy."
Hundreds were expected to gather Saturday in Tel Aviv to call on Netanyahu's government to secure the release of 129 hostages still held in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
"I am dying of fear," said Merav Svirsky, sister of hostage Itay Svirsky at a protest on Friday. "We demand a deal now."
Malo Pinatel, with AFP
[readmore url="https://thisisbeirut.com.lb/world/208446"]
The Israeli army said Saturday that three hostages mistakenly killed by soldiers carried a white flag and cried for help in Hebrew.
Yotam Haim, Alon Shamriz and Samer el-Talalqa -- all in their 20s -- were shot during operations in Gaza City on Friday, sparking protests in Israel.
They were among about 250 people taken hostage during Palestinian militant group Hamas's October 7 attacks in Israel, which killed around 1,140 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures.
Army spokesman Daniel Hagari said that during fighting in the Shejaiya district of Gaza City, troops "mistakenly identified three Israeli hostages as a threat and as a result, fired toward them and the hostages were killed."
An army official said the hostages were all "without shirts" and had "a stick with a white cloth on it," but a soldier felt threatened and opened fire.
"Two are killed immediately, one is injured and runs back into the building," the official said, adding that the soldiers heard "a cry for help... in Hebrew."
Despite a ceasefire order, "there's another burst of fire towards the third figure and he also dies."
The official called it a "tragic" event and a "very hard day," but said the troops had faced "intense combat in the area."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described their deaths as an "unbearable tragedy."
Hundreds were expected to gather Saturday in Tel Aviv to call on Netanyahu's government to secure the release of 129 hostages still held in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
"I am dying of fear," said Merav Svirsky, sister of hostage Itay Svirsky at a protest on Friday. "We demand a deal now."
Malo Pinatel, with AFP
[readmore url="https://thisisbeirut.com.lb/world/208446"]
Comments