The Israeli military said the three men had been “mistakenly identified” as a “threat.” The announcement angered the families of hostages held by Hamas.
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The death of three hostages, killed by the Israeli army on Friday December 15, provoked outrage in Israel. “Identified in error” like a “threat”these three men were shot dead by soldiers operating in the Choujaiya neighborhood in the northern Gaza Strip, according to the IDF.
Shortly after the announcement, families of hostages and supporters marched with photos of captives in front of the Israeli Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv, demanding an immediate agreement for their release. According to an Israeli army countthere remain 132 hostages in Gaza, out of the 250 kidnapped by Hamas at the start of the conflict on October 7. Franceinfo summarizes what we know about the situation.
Three hostages mistakenly identified as a threat
The three hostages were killed during an Israeli army operation in Shujaiya, in the north of the Gaza Strip, “a densely populated community that Israeli officials have identified as a Hamas stronghold”reports the New York Times. The three men were mistakenly identified as a “threat” by the soldiers present on site, according to the Israeli authorities.
“We believe that the three [otages] had fled or been abandoned by the terrorists who had captured them.explained the spokesperson for the Israeli Defense Ministry, Daniel Hagari, reports Haaretz.
There is then “made a tragic mistake”and the soldiers shot the hostages, continued this same source, explaining that the event occurred “in a combat zone with many terrorists”. The identities of the three bodies have been identified “after the shooting”continued Daniel Hagari, affirming that an investigation had been opened to “clarify the details of this event”.
All three victims were under 30 years old
The victims were Yotam Haïm, a 28-year-old drummer in a heavy metal band, Samer al-Talalqa, a 25-year-old Bedouin, and Alon Lulu Shamriz, 26, the army announced. The bodies of the three victims were repatriated to Israel, according to the same source.
All three were kidnapped by Hamas on October 7. Yotam Haim was part of the metal band Persephore and was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Am during the attack, reports The Parisian. It was “passionate about animals and Italian cuisine”adds the newspaper.
Samer al-Talalqa was also kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Am, according to the families of the hostages. He worked in a factory and was injured during the attack, reports the New York Timeswho describes it as “a passionate biker”. The third hostage killed, Alon Lulu Shamriz, had been taken from kibbutz Kfar Aza. He was studying computer engineering and was part of the Shaar Hanegev basketball team, details Le Figaro.
A “tragedy” which plunges Israel “into mourning” according to Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, upon the army’s announcement, regretted “an unbearable tragedy” who dives “the entire State of Israel in mourning”. “Immediate lessons were learned from this event, which were passed on to all troops on the ground”for its part assured the army in a press release published Friday evening.
The United States, for its part, considered that it was a “tragic mistake” and a new one “heartbreaking”. “I don’t believe it’s possible to draw any broader conclusions from this particular event and what it says about the capacity [des forces armées israéliennes] to be more surgical and more precise”commented John Kirby, a White House spokesperson.
Hundreds of Israelis demonstrate in Tel Aviv
As soon as the news was made public, relatives of the hostages as well as sympathizers demonstrated in front of the Israeli Ministry of Defense in Tel Aviv, to demand an immediate agreement for their release. A sign of growing anger, the slogans largely criticized the policies of the Israeli government. “We we don’t have time anymore! Bring the hostages home now!”chanted the crowd, according to information from Times of Israel.
“Every day, a hostage dies”we could read on a poster while an Israeli flag placed in the street was sprayed with red paint suggesting blood. “The only way to free the hostages alive is through negotiation”, a 66-year-old demonstrator told AFP on the spot. In response, the Hostage Families Forum announced the organization of a press conference in Tel Aviv on Saturday.