Israeli military mistakenly kills 3 hostages in Gaza

The Israeli military killed three Israeli hostages in Gaza after they were “mistakenly identified … as a threat,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Friday.

Israeli military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said it was not clear if the hostages had escaped their captors or were abandoned. The shooting occurred in the Shijaiyah neighborhood of central Gaza City, he said.

Two of the three victims were identified as Yotam Haim and Samer Talalka.

“The IDF expresses deep remorse over the tragic incident and sends the families its heartfelt condolences,” the military said. “Our national mission is to locate the missing and return all the hostages home.”

The Israeli military reviewed the shooting and said that “immediate lessons from the event have been learned.”

“The IDF emphasizes that this is an active combat zone in which ongoing fighting over the last few days has occurred,” the military said.

The announcement comes hours after the Israeli military recovered the bodies of three other Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.

U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan met with Palestinian leaders Friday to discuss plans for Gaza after Hamas is eliminated through the current war. The Biden administration and the Israeli government have clashed over the future of the region, with the administration pushing for Palestinian control, which Israelis signal will not happen.