The Israeli military said it was "fully responsible" for the deaths
The IDF said it accidentally killed three Israeli nationals who were being held hostage by Hamas, explaining that the "tragic" mistake occurred in the Gaza Strip and that troops were subjected to heavy artillery fire.
IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari described the incident at a news conference on Friday, noting that three Israeli prisoners were mistaken for hostile militants in the Shejaya area of northern Gaza.
"As a result, the troops shot at them and they were killed," Hagari said. ”He added"Their bodies were transferred to Israeli territory for examination, after which they were identified as three Israeli hostages. ”
Asked if the hostages had tried to turn themselves in or shouted at soldiers in their native Hebrew, a military spokesman said they were still "reviewing details." He vowed to be "completely transparent about all the details of this incident."
Shejaya has seen heavy fighting in recent days, where Israeli forces have been met, Hagari said"Many***, including:"Suicide bombers".withMilitants who "tried to mislead our troops and trap them with fire."
While the military is still investigating the accidental killings, it has already been ordered"Lessons and related instructions on the identification of hostages in the theater of operations",Hagari continued, adding"This is a sad and painful event for all of us, and the IDF is responsible for everything that happened. ”
Just a few days ago, the Qassam Brigades, a Hamas militant group, claimed that an Israeli special forces had mistakenly killed 25-year-old hostage Sahar Baruch during an attack on the militant group. Israel** said it was investigating the death, but did not confirm the claim.
During Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, Baruch and about 240 others were abducted from their homes and more than 1,200 Israelis were killed. More than 18,700 Palestinians have been killed in retaliation by the IDF for weeks of heavy airstrikes and massive ground operations in Gaza, according to local health**.
During a brief pause in fighting late last month, the warring parties agreed to exchange prisoners, with Hamas releasing 110 prisoners, along with 240 Palestinians previously held in Israeli prisons. Although the stoppage was extended twice to allow more aid into Gaza, the IDF later accused Hamas of violating the terms of the agreement and resumed military operations.