Posted on 12/15/23
| News Source: Arutz-7
The IDF cleared for publication on Friday evening that, during combat in Shejaiya, the IDF mistakenly identified three Israeli hostages as a threat. As a result, the troops fired toward them and they were killed.
During searches and checks in the area in which the incident occurred, a suspicion arose over the identities of the deceased. Their bodies were transferred to Israeli territory for examination, after which it was confirmed that they were three Israeli hostages.
Their bodies were taken to the "Hatzvi" Center at the Shura Camp for further examination, where the hostages were identified:
- Yotam Haim, who was kidnapped from Kibbutz Kfar Aza by the Hamas terrorist organization on October 7.
- Samer Talalka, who was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Am by the Hamas terrorist organization on October 7.
- The third hostage’s family has been notified, and they requested that his name not be made public.
IDF and Israel Police representatives have notified all of the families.
The IDF believes that the three hostages who were accidentally shot either escaped from captivity or were abandoned by the terrorists who were holding them because of the fighting, but the incident is still being investigated.
“The IDF began reviewing the incident immediately. The IDF emphasizes that this is an active combat zone in which ongoing fighting over the last few days has occurred. Immediate lessons from the event have been learned, which have been passed on to all IDF troops in the field,” the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said.
“The IDF expresses deep remorse over the tragic incident and sends the families its heartfelt condolences. Our national mission is to locate the missing and return all the hostages home,” it added.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said following the incident, “Together with all the people of Israel, I mourn the fall of three of our dear sons who were kidnapped, among them Yotam Haim and Samer Fouad al-Talalka.”
“This is an unbearable tragedy. The entire State of Israel mourns this evening. My heart goes out to the grieving families in their difficult time.”
“I strengthen our brave soldiers who are dealing with the sacred mission of returning our hostages, even at the cost of their lives. Even on this difficult evening, we will dress our wounds, learn the lessons and continue with a supreme effort to return all our hostages home safely,” said Netanyahu.
Minister Benny Gantz said, “The heart is broken upon learning of the tragedy this evening. I want to embrace the families - the whole nation of Israel is crying with you. I strengthen all the families of the hostages, and also the soldiers who are in the depths of the territory and are carrying out a complex and important mission, the likes of which we have not known since the establishment of the state.”
“The pain that accompanies the campaign, grows more in the face of the difficult event. Our responsibility is to win the war, and part of that victory will be to bring the hostages home. We will do everything to bring them back alive. Everything,” vowed Gantz.