Key Points
- The three hostages mistakenly killed waved a white flag, according to the Israeli army.
- The harrowing details of the hostages' final moments, all in their 20s, has sparked concerns about the safety of those still held captive in Gaza.
- Protestors demand Israel stop fighting Hamas and negotiate a deal to bring those abducted home.
The Israeli army has revealed that by soldiers on Friday carried a white flag and cried for help in Hebrew.
The hostages were identified as Yotam Haim and Alon Shamriz, both taken from Kibbutz Kfar Aza during Hamas's 7 October attack, and Samer El-Talalqa, who was taken from Kibbutz Nir Am.
News of their deaths has sparked protests in Israel, with the families of the calling on the Israeli government to stop fighting and secure their release.
Army spokesman Daniel Hagari said that during fighting in the Shejaiya district of Gaza City, troops "mistakenly identified three Israeli hostages as a threat and as a result, fired toward them and the hostages were killed".
An army official said the hostages were all "without shirts" and had "a stick with a white cloth on it", but a soldier felt threatened and opened fire.
"Two are killed immediately, one is injured and runs back into the building," the official said.
He added that the soldiers heard "a cry for help... in Hebrew".
Yotam Haim (left) and Samer Talalka (right) were among three Israeli hostages mistakenly shot by the IDF. Credit: Hostages and Missing Families Forum
The official called it a "tragic" event and "very hard day", but said the troops had faced "intense combat in the area".
Protesters question IDF's mission to bring back hostages
Thousands gathered in Tel Aviv on Saturday night to call on Netanyahu's government to secure the release of 129 hostages still held in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
Israel has previously said eight other hostages had died.
"We only receive dead bodies. We want you to stop the fight and start negotiations," Noam Perry said, daughter of hostage Haim Perry.
"We feel like we're in a Russian roulette game," said Ruby Chen, father of 19-year-old soldier being held captive.
"They explained to us first that the ground operation would bring back the abductees," he said.
"It doesn't work. Because since then, abductees have been seen returning, but not so much alive. It's time to change this assumption," he said.
Hamas kidnapped around 250 hostages during its 7 October attack on Israel, which killed 1,139 people, according to official Israeli figures. Israel's retaliatory war against Hamas has killed more than 18,700 people, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.
The military said it had recovered the bodies of three other hostages killed by Hamas. Israel says it believes around 20 of more than 130 hostages still held in densely populated coastal strip are dead.
The Israeli government has repeatedly stated that bringing home all of the hostages is one of its chief war aims.
Israel and US divided over IDF tactics
In November, a one-week truce saw 105 hostages including 80 Israelis freed in exchange for 240 Palestinians held in Israeli jails, but fighting has since resumed.
The three hostages' deaths have heightened already fierce scrutiny of how Israel is conducting its ground and air assault in Gaza.
The White House, which provides billions of dollars in military aid to Israel, has voiced growing concern over civilian deaths.
"I want them to be focused on how to save civilian lives, not stop going after Hamas, but be more careful," US President Joe Biden said this week.
In the face of growing international pressure, Israel announced a "temporary measure" allowing aid to be delivered directly to Gaza through the Kerem Shalom border crossing.
Humanitarian agencies have said the volume is just a fraction of what is needed to help the estimated 1.9 million Gazans displaced by the war.
