The mother of one of three hostages accidentally shot dead by Israeli forces delivered a stunning message of love and forgiveness to the unit that killed her — while urging them to continue the fight to eliminate Hamas.
Iris Haim sent a heartfelt message on Wednesday to the 17th Battalion of the Bislamach Brigade, whose soldiers mistook her 28-year-old son Yotam along with Samer Talalka, 22, and Alon Shamriz, 26, for terrorists.
“I am Yotam’s mother. I want to tell you that I love you very much, and I am hugging you here from afar,” the grieving mother said, according to the Times of Israel.
“I know that everything that happened is absolutely not your fault, and nobody’s fault except Hamas, may their name be erased and their memory erased from the Earth,” Haim said in a recorded message.
“I want you to take care of yourself and think all the time that you are doing the best thing in the world, the best thing that can happen, that can help us.
Iris Haim, the mother of Yotam Haim — mistakenly killed by the IDF — delivered a message of love and support to the units involved in the tragedy. AFP via Getty Images
“Because all Israelis and all of us need you to be healthy,” he continued.
Haim urged soldiers to continue to act decisively if they believe they are facing terrorists.
“Don’t think you killed the hostage on purpose. You have to take care of yourself because that’s the only way you can take care of us,” he said.
Haim also extended an invitation to the young men.
“I am Yotam’s mother. I want to tell you that I love you very much, and I hug you here from afar, “said the grieving mother. Family Distribution
“At the first opportunity, you are invited to come to us, whoever wants to. And we want to see you with our own eyes and hug you and tell you that what you are doing – however hard it is to say this, and sad – seems like it was the right thing at the time,” said Haim.
He emphasized that no one will judge the soldiers for their actions or be angry with them.
“Not me and not my husband, Raviv. Not my son Noya. And not Yotam, may his memory be blessed. And not Tuval, Jotham’s brother.
“We love you so much. And that’s it,” he said in conclusion.
Friends who attended the funeral of 26-year-old Alon Shamriz mourned over the grave of the October 7 Hamas attack victim buried in the same cemetery in Kibbutz Shefayim. AP
The mother’s message came as the Israel Defense Forces revealed that it had obtained video from a military dog camera, in which one of the hostages could be heard screaming for help five days before their deaths.
A GoPro camera on a dog from Oketz’s elite unit continued to work even after the animal was killed and recorded the voice of a hostage, apparently Shamriz, shouting, “Help!”
The footage was only discovered on December 18, three days after the man was killed, when the IDF found the dog’s body.
Alon Shamriz, 26, Yotam Haim, 28, and Samer Talalka, 22, were three Israeli hostages accidentally killed by the IDF. Avi Lulu/Facebook
In the heat of battle, soldiers may have heard Hebrew being shouted but thought it was a ploy by terrorists, the IDF found it.
Earlier, the IDF said the three men approached the shirtless soldiers, waving a white banner and with their hands raised, but the soldiers shot them because they believed they were terrorists.
The hostages had also left a sign with leftover food saying “SOS” and “3 hostages. Help” on a building, but soldiers also believed it was a ploy by Hamas.
Yotam Haim’s mother delivered an invitation to the army. AP
The investigation focused on Yotam’s death, which was found particularly gruesome because he managed to escape back into the building after he was shot along with two other hostages, the newspaper reported, citing public broadcaster Kan.
The commander of the 17th Battalion reportedly ordered his soldiers to hold fire, but one of them proceeded to kill Yotam when he exited the building again.
After the incident, the IDF sent new protocols to the ground forces for the possibility of more hostages escaping from custody.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
