This Post Is Recently Updated on Dec 29, 2023 @ 23:06 pm by TBB Desk
An Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) investigation has unveiled distressing details surrounding a hostage situation in Gaza that ended tragically. On December 10, when Israeli soldiers stormed a building in the Gaza City district of Shejaiya, they ignored pleas for “help” from three hostages held within, as disclosed by the IDF’s probe report.
The soldiers also reported hearing “hostages” shouting in Hebrew on the same day but believed it to be a “terrorist deception attempt” by Hamas militants in an effort to lure them into the building. Due to this suspicion, they exited the building and engaged in a confrontation with five Hamas terrorists attempting to flee. The probe indicated that the hostages may have fled the premises at that time.
Further investigation revealed that on December 15, Israeli soldiers fatally shot the hostages, mistaking them for a threat. Two of the hostages were killed instantly, while the third attempted to escape. However, soldiers were instructed to hold fire to identify him. The third hostage, crying for help and pleading, “they’re shooting at me,” was asked to advance towards the soldiers by Israeli commanders. Tragically, two soldiers claimed they did not hear these commands due to the “noise” from a nearby tank and shot the hostage dead. Notably, the hostages were unarmed and one of them was carrying a white flag.
Disturbingly, a day before their tragic deaths, on December 14, an army drone had detected signs reading “SOS” and “help, three hostages” on a building close to where the hostages were ultimately shot.
Army chief Herzi Halevi acknowledged the grave failure, stating that the army “failed in its mission to rescue the hostages in this event” and that the fatalities “could have been prevented.”
The tragic incident prompted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to express his sorrow, remarking that it “broke my heart” and had a profound impact on the nation.
The victims were identified as Yotam Haim, Alon Shamriz, and Samer El-Talalqa, all in their twenties. Their deaths have sparked protests in Tel Aviv, where demonstrators are demanding that authorities formulate a new plan to secure the release of the 129 hostages still held in the Gaza Strip.
It is essential to note that this tragic event occurred within the context of heightened tensions and violence in the region. Hostilities were triggered by Hamas’s October 7 attacks in Israel, resulting in numerous casualties and extensive destruction. Israel launched a substantial military offensive against the Palestinian Islamist movement, vowing to dismantle Hamas and secure the release of hostages, but this mission has come at a significant human cost.
The Gaza Strip, under the governance of Hamas, has suffered immensely during the conflict, with a substantial loss of life, particularly among civilians, and extensive infrastructure damage.
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