Israel admits death of three hostages in rescue bid

The relatives of those kidnapped were putting increasing pressure on the Israeli government and army to declare a fresh ceasefire that would facilitate the release of the three Gaza hostages who had been shot “mistakenly” by Israeli soldiers. The ceasefire would allow the hostages to be released after 71 days of fighting.

The three hostages that the Israeli army murdered on Friday during a “intense combat in the area” in Shujaiya, on the edges of the Gaza Strip, were “shirtless and carrying a stick with a white cloth on it,” according to a statement from Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson Richard Hecht on Saturday.

Nevertheless, the third captive was shot once more and killed. Hecht continued, “This was against our rules of engagement.”

The spokesperson emphasised that this is merely preliminary information and that an inquiry into this “tragic accident” is already in progress.

Hecht further stated that a structure with an SOS sign on the front was discovered a few hundred metres from the scene in the Shujaiya neighbourhood, which is one of the strongholds of the Islamist organisation Hamas.

Yotam Haim, a 28-year-old singer, and Alon Lulu Shamriz, a 26-year-old student studying computer science, who had both been taken prisoner during the Oct. 7 attack on Kibbutz Kfar Aza, were slain by the Israeli army on Friday.

Also slain was 25-year-old Hura resident Samer Fouad al-Talalka, an Israeli Bedouin citizen, who was apprehended in the family restaurant close to Kibbutz Nir Am where he was employed.

In the Oct. 7 operation, around 240 Israelis were abducted by Hamas. There are 129 hostages left as of right now, about 20 of them are thought to be dead.

The majority of the 51,000 injured are civilians, and there are around 18,800 fatalities, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health, which is under Hamas control.

Additionally, three alive hostages’ bodies were recovered, according to an announcement made by Israeli police on Friday.

(With agency inputs)

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