Accident – death – Obituary News :

Israeli Hostages Mistakenly killed in Gaza Strip

In a tragic incident on Friday, three Israeli hostages were mistakenly killed by the Israeli army in the Shejaiya neighborhood of the Gaza Strip. Preliminary findings from an Israeli army probe reveal that the soldiers mistakenly identified the hostages as terrorists and opened fire on them, despite the hostages waving a white flag.

The victims have been identified as Yotam Haim, Samer El-Talalka, and Alon Shamriz. They were among the 240 hostages taken captive by Hamas on October 7. According to reports, the three men were shirtless and one of them was waving a makeshift white flag as a sign of surrender.

Tragically, two of the men were killed instantly by the gunfire, while the third was wounded but managed to seek shelter in a nearby building. However, he was later killed when he came out of the building, despite crying for help in Hebrew.

The news of the killings has sparked widespread protests across Israel, with citizens demanding that their government negotiate a truce with Hamas to secure the safe release of the remaining hostages. Udi Goren, a cousin of one of the hostages killed by Hamas, stated in an interview with CNN, “We are demanding a deal now. There is a deal on the table. We demand the government to say yes.”

Lieutenant Colonel Richard Hecht, spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), expressed deep sorrow over the incident, stating, “This is a very tragic 24 hours for soldiers. This is a terrible event, and we will learn our lessons.” However, he did not comment on whether any disciplinary actions will be taken against the soldiers responsible for the mistaken killings.

The incident is likely to increase international pressure on Israel to reach a truce with Hamas. The White House, which has previously criticized Israel for its actions in Gaza, described the killings as a “tragic mistake.”

Hecht emphasized that the IDF’s priority remains the safe release of the remaining hostages. He referred to Hamas as “Satan’s army” and stated, “This is a fight for our existence, this is a fight we have to do.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also expressed his deep sorrow over the incident, calling it an “unbearable tragedy.” In a statement issued late Friday night, Netanyahu pledged to learn from the incident and make every effort to bring all the abducted Israelis home safely.

As the nation mourns the loss of the three hostages and demands action from the government, the search for a peaceful resolution and the safe return of the remaining hostages continues.

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