Israeli troops killed hostages, mistaking 'help' cries as 'deception': Probe
Days before killing three hostages by mistake, Israel's troops ignored their cries for "help" when they stormed a Gaza building holding the trio, said a military probe report published on Thursday (local time). The soldiers on December 10 heard the "hostages" shouting in Hebrew but misinterpreted it as a "terrorist deception attempt" by the Hamas fighters to lure them into the building in Gaza's Shejaiya district. They were killed on December 15.
Why does this story matter?
On December 16, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced its troops shot and killed three hostages held by Hamas during a ground operation, mistaking them for a "threat" the previous day. To note, the ongoing war in Gaza began on October 7, after the Palestinian terrorist group killed around 1,200 Israelis and took nearly 240 hostages during its surprise attacks on Israel. The Jewish nation responded by launching multi-pronged army aggression in Hamas-controlled Gaza, killing over 21,000 Palestinians so far.
Probe provides details on how 'help' pleas turned fatal
Assuming that the building was rigged with explosives, the Israeli soldiers exited it on December 10 even though they heard the hostages' cries for help. Moreover, they killed five Hamas terrorists while they were reportedly trying to flee the scene. The probe report also added the hostages then presumably fled the building as well, but IDF troops shot them on December 15 after mistakenly identifying them as a threat.
2 hostages died instantly, reveals Israel's probe
On December 15, when the IDF troops fired at the hostages, two died instantly, the third fled, and soldiers were ordered to hold fire. Hearing cries of "they're shooting at me" and "help," Israeli commanders allegedly asked the surviving hostage to advance toward the soldiers. However, two Israeli soldiers couldn't "hear the order" due to the "noise" from a nearby tank and shot him dead. The report revealed all three hostages were shirtless, and one was carrying a white flag.
Fatalities could've been prevented: Israel's army chief
In a statement published along with the investigation report, IDF Chief of the General Staff Herzi Halevi said the army "failed in its mission to rescue the hostages in this event." The three fatalities "could have been prevented," added Halevi. Right after the accidental killings of the hostages, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated it "broke" his heart. "This is an unbearable tragedy, and all of Israel is grieving their loss," he had said.
Know about identities of deceased hostages, abduction
Earlier, the IDF identified the deceased hostages as Samer Talalka, Alon Shamriz, and Yotam Haim. The Israeli military also revealed that the Palestinian terrorist group kidnapped Talalka from Kibbutz Nir Am. Meanwhile, Shamriz and Haim were abducted by the Hamas from Kibbutz Kfar Aza during the October 7 attacks. The killings also triggered protests, as hundreds of Israelis gathered in central Tel Aviv and urged the Netanyahu government to reach a deal for the release of the remaining hostages.
