[Israeli army personnel mourn losses of their military colleagues (File/Social media)]
Tel Aviv: The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Friday December 16, 2023 admitted “accidentally killing” three hostages in Gaza.
The hostages killed by the Israel army have been identified as 28-year-old Yotam Haim, 25-year-old Samer Al-Talalka and 26-year-old Alon Shamriz. All three were abducted from Israeli communities during the Hamas attack on October 7.
The Israeli army said the captives were killed during combat with Palestinian groups in Gaza after its troops mistook them as a "threat".
“During combat in Shujayea, the Israeli army mistakenly identified three Israeli hostages as a threat. As a result, the troops fired toward them and they were killed,” the army said in a statement. “The Israeli army began reviewing the incident immediately … Immediate lessons from the event have been learned, which have been passed on to all Israeli army troops in the field,” it added.
“During combat in Shujayea, the Israeli army mistakenly identified three Israeli hostages as a threat. As a result, the troops fired toward them and they were killed,” the army said in a statement.
“The Israeli army began reviewing the incident immediately … Immediate lessons from the event have been learned, which have been passed on to all Israeli army troops in the field,” it added.
“There will be full transparency in the investigation into the incident, which is under review”, the Israeli army said in a statement.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the killing “unbearable tragedy” while the Israeli military expressed its condolences to the families and promising a probe.
"Together with the entire people of Israel, I bow my head in deep sorrow and mourn the fall of three of our dear sons," Benjamin said.
Hamas and other Palestinian Resistance Groups had taken about 250 hostages while retreating after their Operation Al Aqsa Flood launched onto the occupied Palestinian territories on Oct 7.
The Palestinian Resistance Groups called for prisoner-hostage swap in order to release over 8,000 Palestinians languishing in Israeli jails without trial.
Following a week-long truce between Hamas and Israel mediated by Qatar and Egypt, some 105 hostages, including 81 Israelis, 23 Thai nationals and 01 Filipino, were released by the Palestinian Resistance Groups.
In exchange, Israel released 240 Palestinian prisoners, all women and minors. Some 138 hostages are still in captivity.
After the truce ended on Nov 30 and Israeli Occupation Forces resumed bombing of Gaza, Hamas said any further negotiation for the release of hostages will be held only on the condition of complete end of war and release of all Palestinians in Israeli jails.
Reuters news agency reports that hundreds of people took part in protests in Tel Aviv after the Israeli military announced it had mistakenly killed three captives being held in Gaza by Hamas.
Images on Israeli television showed large crowds gathering and blocking a main street in the city.
“I would say that he [Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] is responsible for everything that is happening … that happened, and is still happening,” protester Ilana Zeffren told Reuters. “He has blood, a lot of blood on his hands, and he should resign now, and let people that are responsible and care … and care for this country, unlike him, to take over, and get this war over with and get all the kidnapped people back home now,” Zeffren said.
“I would say that he [Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] is responsible for everything that is happening … that happened, and is still happening,” protester Ilana Zeffren told Reuters.
“He has blood, a lot of blood on his hands, and he should resign now, and let people that are responsible and care … and care for this country, unlike him, to take over, and get this war over with and get all the kidnapped people back home now,” Zeffren said.
Meanwhile, sirens warning of incoming rockets from Gaza sounded in Occupied Jerusalem for the first time since October 30, sending residents scurrying for cover, according to AFP.
On Friday, Israeli forces killed Al Jazeera cameraman Samer Abudaqa on Friday in an attack in Gaza’s Khan Younis. Correspondent Wael Dahdouh was also injured in the attack. The pair were covering the aftermath of the bombing of a UN-run school.
The Palestinian reporter, a famous face across the Arab world, was the 12th Al Jazeera journalist to be killed while reporting since the network’s launch in 1996, the Doha based broadcaster said.
Abudaqa was left to bleed out for hours after the attack, with medical teams prevented by Israeli forces from being able to get to him.
There have been international calls for accountability, including from the Al Jazeera Media Network, for Israel’s killing of Abudaqa, the 57th Palestinian journalist or media worker to be killed since October 7, as per a count by the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Gaza death toll meanwhile has reached 18,800 - over 70 per cent of them children, according to the Palestine Health Ministsry.
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