Tel Aviv Admits Its Troops Murdered 3 Israeli Hostages

Israeli troops shot dead three Israeli hostages Friday in a battle-torn neighborhood of Gaza City and an Israeli strike killed a Palestinian journalist in the south of the besieged territory, Najib Jobain, Jack Jefferey and Julia Frankel reported for the Associated Press (AP).

The soldiers mistakenly identified the three Israelis as a threat and opened fire on them. I Photo: Khaled al-‘Azayzeh, B'Tselem

The deaths were announced as a US envoy tried to persuade the Israelis to scale back their campaign sooner rather than later. The hostages were killed in the Gaza City area of Shijaiyah, where troops have been engaged in fierce fighting with Hamas militants in recent days.

The soldiers mistakenly identified the three Israelis as a threat and opened fire on them, said the army’s chief spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari.

He said it was believed that the three had either fled their captors or been abandoned. “Perhaps in the last few days, or over the past day, we still don’t know all the details, they reached this area,” Hagari said.

He said the army expressed “deep sorrow” and was investigating.

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