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Accident – death – Obituary News : Israeli Troops Mistakenly Shoot and Kill Three Hostages in Gaza City
In a tragic incident on Friday, Israeli troops mistakenly shot and killed three hostages in a battle-torn neighborhood of Gaza City. The deaths occurred in the area of Shijaiyah, where troops have been engaged in fierce fighting with Hamas militants. The soldiers mistakenly identified the three Israelis as a threat and opened fire on them, according to Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the army’s chief spokesman. It was believed that the hostages had either fled their captors or been abandoned.
The deaths of the hostages highlight the intensity of Israel’s ongoing onslaught in Gaza, which has been raging for over two months. The incident occurred as a U.S. envoy was attempting to persuade the Israelis to scale back their military campaign sooner rather than later. The Israeli army expressed “deep sorrow” over the incident and has launched an investigation into the matter.
The hostages’ plight has dominated public discourse since they were abducted by Hamas and other militants in a October 7 attack that triggered the current conflict. Demonstrations in solidarity with the hostages and their families have been taking place almost daily, with Israeli political and military leaders emphasizing the importance of freeing all the hostages alongside their mission to destroy Hamas.
Despite the Israeli ground troops’ presence in northern Gaza for seven weeks, no hostages have been rescued so far. However, one hostage was freed early in the conflict, and the bodies of several others have been found. Hamas released over 100 hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners last month, but more than 130 are still believed to be in captivity.
The three hostages who were killed have been identified as 28-year-old Yotam Haim, 25-year-old Samer Al-Talalka, and 26-year-old Alon Shamriz. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called their deaths an “unbearable tragedy” and vowed to continue “with a supreme effort to return all the hostages home safely.”
In a separate incident in southern Gaza, a Palestinian journalist was killed in an Israeli strike. Cameraman Samer Abu Daqqa was killed, and chief correspondent Wael Dahdouh was wounded when a drone launched a strike on a school they were reporting from. Dahdouh managed to walk to an ambulance, but Abu Daqqa died from his injuries later on. An ambulance attempting to reach the school to evacuate him was unable to do so due to blocked roads.
Before Abu Daqqa’s death, the Committee to Protect Journalists reported that at least 63 journalists had been killed in the war, including 56 Palestinians, four Israelis, and three Lebanese. The conflict has caused extensive damage to northern Gaza, displacing 80% of the territory’s population of 2.3 million people. The ongoing humanitarian crisis has forced displaced individuals to seek shelter mainly in the south.
According to the Health Ministry in Gaza, the conflict has claimed the lives of more than 18,700 Palestinians. Thousands more are feared dead or missing beneath the rubble. The ministry does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths, but previous tallies have consistently shown that around two-thirds of the casualties are women and minors.
Despite being battered by Israel’s offensive, Hamas has continued its attacks. On Friday, rockets fired from Gaza towards central Israel set off sirens in Jerusalem for the first time in weeks but caused no injuries.
The Israeli offensive, triggered by the unprecedented Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, has resulted in significant destruction and loss of life. While the Israeli government maintains strong support for the war, there has been international concern regarding civilian casualties and the future of Gaza. The United States, while offering diplomatic support and weapons shipments to Israel, has expressed unease over the mounting civilian casualties and has urged Israel to reduce them..
