Three Israeli hostages were killed after the Israel Defense Forces mistook them for a “threat” during a shootout in Gaza Friday, leaving the army to express “deep sorrow” over the deaths.
Yotam Haim, Samer Talalka and Alon Shamriz were killed when they were accidentally “targeted” in Shejaiya and shot dead by the IDF.
Haim was kidnapped by Hamas on October 7 in Kfar Aza, while Talalka was taken from Nir Am, according to the Times of Israel.
Haim, 28, is the heavy metal drummer for the band Persephore. He was taken from his home at the beginning of the war and his house was burned by Hamas fighters.
Talalka, who is in her early 20s, was taken from a hatchery, where she and her father worked. The young man often worked early weekend shifts at the chicken coop, according to the outlet.
Shamriz is a 26-year-old computer engineering student whose parents are from Iran, the Times of Israel reported.
During an “inspection” of the area, “suspicion arose regarding the identity of the body,” according to the IDF.
“The bodies were taken for examination in Israeli territory, after which it turned out that they were three Israeli abductees,” the team said in a tweet.
They were taken to a “deer center” in the Shura camp in Israel, where they were identified.
“The IDF expresses its deep sorrow over the incident and shares the grief of the family. The IDF will continue to act in all efforts to return the kidnapped victims,” he said.
Alon Shamriz was killed in the fighting on Friday. Avi Lulu/Facebook Samer Fouad Al-Talalka is one of the hostages said to have been killed by the IDF. via REUTERS Yotam Haim was also killed in a botched IDF strike. AP
The area had been a “combat zone” for several days, including encounters with “suicide bombers,” the IDF said.
IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said he believed the three hostages “escaped or were abandoned by the terrorists who held them.”
Haim was kidnapped by Hamas on October 7 in the Kfar Aza kibbutz, while Talalka was taken from Nir Am, according to the Times of Israel. IDF/GPO/SIPA/Shutterstock The IDF announced it mistakenly killed 3 hostages it believed were Hamas terrorists. IDF/GPO/SIPA/Shutterstock
“Immediately after the tragic incident, another encounter with terrorists took place near the scene,” he added.
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Following the incident, the Israeli ground forces were given new protocols to help identify hostages to avoid more hostage deaths.
The deaths came after the US and Israel discussed scaling back heavy combat operations in the war, although both sides agreed fighting would take months to defeat Hamas.
Following the incident, the Israeli ground forces were given new protocols to help identify hostages to avoid more hostage deaths. IDF /Telegram They were accidentally “targeted” in Shejaiya and shot dead by Israeli forces, according to reports. MOHAMMED SABER/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock During the “inspection” of the area, “suspicion arose regarding the identity of the deceased,” according to the IDF. IDF/GPO/SIPA/Shutterstock
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan also met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to discuss the future of the country after the war.
It may include bringing home Palestinian security forces driven from their jobs in Gaza by Hamas in its 2007 takeover, according to a senior US official.
It is unclear how Gaza will be run in a post-war scenario.
Similar conversations are expected to take place when US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin visits Israel.
President Biden’s administration has expressed dismay at Israel’s failure to reduce civilian casualties. The White House continues to support the war-torn country with arms shipments and diplomatic support.
“I want them to focus on how to save civilian lives,” Biden said Thursday. “Don’t stop chasing Hamas, but be more careful.”
More than 18,000 Palestinians have died in Gaza since October 7, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry. Thousands more are missing and others are feared dead.
More than 130 hostages still remain in the hands of Hamas.
With Postal wire
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
