War in the Middle East - Israeli soldiers accidentally kill three hostages in the Gaza Strip
Israeli soldiers have accidentally killed three hostages during fighting in the Gaza Strip. The armed forces had mistakenly identified them as a threat during an operation in the Hamas stronghold of Shejaiya in the north of the sealed-off coastal strip and shot at them, Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari announced on Friday evening.
Shortly after the incident, the suspicion arose that the dead could be hostages, Hagari said. The bodies were then taken to Israeli territory for closer examination. It was confirmed that they were three Israeli hostages.
Israeli hostages killed by mistake: "Army bears full responsibility"
"This is a tragic incident, the army bears full responsibility," Hagari continued. The military immediately began investigating the incident. Hagari emphasized that Shejaiya was an "active combat zone" in which there had been ongoing fighting in recent days. He expressed his condolences to the families of the hostages.
Hamas had attacked Israel on October 7. Fighters from the Palestinian organization, which is classified as a terrorist organization by the USA and the EU, invaded Israeli towns and villages and committed atrocities against civilians. According to Israeli reports, around 1,200 people were killed and around 240 people were taken hostage in the Gaza Strip. According to Israeli sources, more than 130 of them are still being held by Hamas.
In response to the Hamas attack, the Israeli army began bombing targets in the Gaza Strip and launched a ground offensive. According to the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health, which cannot be independently verified, more than 18,700 people have been killed so far.
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Source: www.stern.de
