Three Israeli hostages killed mistakenly in Gaza by Israeli forces had been holding up a white flag, Israel's Chief of the General Staff Herzi Halevi said on Saturday (December 16), citing an initial inquiry into the incident that has shaken the country.
"The shooting at the hostages was against the rules of engagement," Halevi said in a video message released by the Israeli army.
The incident took place on Friday (December 15) in Shejaiya, an area of intense combat in northern Gaza where Hamas militants operate in civilian attire and use deception tactics.
The military on Friday identified the three hostages killed in Shejaiya, an eastern suburb of Gaza City, as Yotam Haim and Alon Shamriz, abducted from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, and Samer Al-Talalka, abducted from nearby Kibbutz Nir Am.
Hamas terrorists rampaged through Israeli towns killing 1,200 people and capturing 240 hostages on Oct. 7. Israel then launched a counter-attack, during which Gaza health authorities say close to 19,000 people have been confirmed killed.
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