Israeli troops opened fire on three Israeli hostages in Gaza, mistakenly identifying them as a threat, resulting in their untimely deaths. Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the IDF Spokesman, took immediate responsibility for the incident. “This is an area where the soldiers encountered many terrorists, including suicide bombers,” Hagari explained. The three hostages have been identified as Yotam Haim, who had been abducted by Hamas from Kfar Aza, and Samar Talalka, who was abducted from Nir Am. The identity of the third hostage has not been disclosed due to the family’s wishes. Hagari suggested that the hostages may have managed to escape or were abandoned by their captors. Hagari further said, “After the shooting, during a scan and examination, an immediate suspicion arose regarding the identity of the dead, and their bodies were quickly transferred for examination in Israel, where the hostages were identified.” Acknowledging the immense sorrow and responsibility borne by the IDF, Hagari emphasized the initiation of an investigation into the incident. He described the challenging circumstances faced by the troops in the battle zone, where they had encountered numerous terrorists, including suicide bombers, and faced attempts to lure them into ambushes. “The IDF began reviewing the incident immediately. The IDF emphasizes that this is an active combat zone in which ongoing fighting over the last few days has occurred. Immediate lessons from the event have been learned, which have been passed on to all IDF troops in the field,” “The IDF expresses deep sorrow for the disaster and shares in the grief of the families. May their memory be blessed.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)