3 Israeli hostages killed by IDF after they mistook them as ‘threats’

(NewsNation) — The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement Friday that its agents shot and killed three Israeli hostages after mistaking them “as a threat.”

Two of the hostages killed were Yotam Haim, who the IDF said was kidnapped from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, and Samer Fouad al-Talalka, who was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Am. Both were taken by Hamas on Oct. 7. The third hostage’s family initially requested his name not be broadcast, but he was later identified as Alon Shamriz.

According to a statement, the deaths happened during combat in Shejaiya, a neighborhood in Gaza City, and the hostages’ bodies were taken to Israeli territory to be examined.

The IDF said in a statement it has “deep remorse over the tragic incident.” In its aftermath, the IDF said it immediately began reviewing the event and lessons learned from it have been passed on to all troops in the field. 

“Our national mission is to locate the missing and return all the hostages home,” the IDF said.

The Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum headquarters put out a statement saying it “shares in the profound grief” of the al-Talalka family. al-Talalka worked with his father and brothers at a chicken hatchery near Kibbutz Nir Am. An avid motorcyclist, al-Talalka loved to ride around the countryside and spend time with friends, Liat Bell Sommer, a spokesperson for the Hostages and Missing Families Forum headquarters, said.

Haim had been a “gifted musician” and “dedicated metal music fan” who was a part of the band Persephore, Bell Sommer said. He was an avid animal lover and raised dogs and cats at home.

Shamriz was a computer engineering student whose parents were from Iran, The Times of Israel reports.

“Together with the entire people of Israel, I bow my head in deep sorrow and mourn the fall of three of our dear sons who were kidnapped,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. “The entire state of Israel will mourn this evening. My heart goes out to the grieving families in their difficult time.”

U.S. President Joe Biden was briefed on the situation.

National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby called the Israeli hostages being killed “heartbreaking” in a gaggle with reporters.

“This was not an outcome that anyone wanted to see,” he said, adding that it is not yet known how this “tragic mistake was made.” 

This comes as Biden earlier this week warned Israel it is losing international support because of its “indiscriminate bombing” of Gaza.

Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy insisted, though, that Israel and the United States are “fully aligned” on the mission to destroy Hamas after its attack on the country killed 1,200 and the militant group took 240 hostages.

“The best way for our allies to expedite an end to this war, which Hamas started and we also want to see over, but needs to be over with the end of Hamas, is to stand by us as we push for total victory over Hamas,” Levy said.

Israel’s air and ground assault has killed more than 18,700 Palestinians, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza, while thousands more are missing and feared dead beneath the rubble of destroyed buildings. On Friday, Israel said it knocked out a Hamas headquarters in an Eastern Gaza city and destroyed infrastructure in the southern city of Khan Yunis.

Nearly 2 million people from Gaza have been displaced — nearly 85% of its population.

On Thursday night, 193 trucks worth of humanitarian aid made their way into Gaza.

This story is developing. Refresh for updates.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.