The three hostages who were mistakenly killed by the Israel Defense Forces were reportedly holding a white flag during the attack. The information was provided by Reuters, which provides initial data from the investigation into the case.
The incident occurred in an area of intense fighting in the Gaza Strip, where Hamas members operate in civilian clothes and use deception tactics.
Samar Fuad Talalka, Alon Shamriz and Yotam Haim, 22, 26 and 28, were the fatal victims of what Israel classified as a “tragic accident.” The three Israelis were shirtless and holding a makeshift white flag when they were mistaken for soldiers of the Islamic group and shot.
Two of the hostages were immediately wounded and fell to the ground; the third managed to escape into a nearby building, where, despite speaking Hebrew, he was also shot dead.
The IDF took responsibility for the incident and mourned the civilian deaths.