Angry protests in Tel Aviv
Accidental killing of hostages shocks Israel
December 16, 2023, 10:51 a.m
In the north of the Gaza Strip, Israeli soldiers shoot three hostages during an operation that they mistakenly believe to be Hamas terrorists. The mix-up sparks horror in Israel. The army regrets the tragic incident, but does not want to let it distract them from their declared war aim.
Israel’s armed forces have been ordered to exercise increased caution following the accidental killing of three hostages in the Gaza Strip. “We have told our soldiers to exercise extra caution when confronted with people in civilian clothing,” Israeli army spokesman Jonathan Conricus told US television channel CNN. It is still unclear how the incident could have happened.
In this context, the spokesman pointed out that many fighters from the Islamist Hamas fought against Israel’s army in civilian clothing. “A sad event like this will not shake our resolve or distract us from our clear goal of destroying Hamas,” Conricus stressed.
The army announced on Friday evening that its own forces had mistakenly identified the three male hostages as a threat and shot them during an operation in the Hamas stronghold of Shejaiya in the north of the sealed-off coastal strip. It is still unclear how they were able to get into the area of the fighting. It is being investigated whether they escaped their captors or were intentionally left behind, it said.
The fighting took place in a civilian and therefore very challenging environment, said Conricus. Almost all enemy units that attacked the Israeli troops with anti-tank rifles were dressed in civilian clothes.
Israel mourns dead hostages
The accidental killing of the hostages caused deep shock in Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the incident an “unbearable tragedy” and said: “The entire State of Israel is in mourning this evening.”
The army expressed “deepest regret over the tragic incident.” This is being investigated and “immediate lessons” have been drawn from it and transmitted to all Israeli units. Army spokesman Daniel Hagari promised a “transparent investigation.”
According to him, the soldiers “inadvertently identified the three hostages as a threat.” The soldiers then shot at the hostages, “and they were killed.” According to Hagari, the Israeli army suspects that the three hostages had either escaped from Hamas or been released by their captors. “We don’t know the details yet,” said the army spokesman.
According to the army, the bodies of the three hostages were brought to Israel. Israeli forces identified those accidentally killed as 26-year-old Alon Lulu Shamris and 28-year-old heavy metal drummer Jotam Haim, both abducted from Kibbutz Kfar Asa, and 25-year-old Bedouin Samer El-Talalka the kibbutz Nir Am.
New hostage deal demanded
As news of the accidental killing of the three hostages spread, hundreds of demonstrators gathered in front of the Ministry of Defense in Tel Aviv that evening. Among them were relatives of hostages. The protesters demanded a quick new agreement to release the remaining hostages. Israeli flags were waved in the crowd and posters with portraits of hostages were held up. “A hostage dies every day,” read one of the posters.
“We are gathered here after a devastating evening and I am dying of fear,” said protester Merav Svirsky, whose brother was taken hostage in the Gaza Strip. “We demand that there is an agreement now.”
As part of a ceasefire agreed between Israel and Hamas, around a hundred hostages were released over the course of a week at the end of November. In return, Israel released 240 Palestinian prisoners from prison. The agreement was brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the USA.
Efforts for a second ceasefire
The news portal “Axios” reported on Friday evening that the director of the Israeli secret service Mossad, David Barnea, will meet with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed ben Abdelrahmane Al-Thani in Europe this weekend. This should be about a second ceasefire to release hostages. Axios did not provide any information about the exact location of the meeting or the number of hostages who could be released.
Hamas, classified as a terrorist organization by the EU and the USA, kidnapped around 250 people as hostages to the Gaza Strip after its major attack on Israel on October 7th. Hamas fighters had entered Israeli towns and committed atrocities against civilians. According to Israeli figures, more than 1,130 people were killed.