The Israeli military has mistakenly killed three hostages held in Gaza after wrongly identifying them as a threat.
The Israeli Defence Forces said the victims, all three Israeli men in their 20s, were killed during combat with Hamas militants.
The victims were identified as Samer Talalka, 22, Yotam Haim, 28, and Alon Shamriz, 26.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called their deaths an “unbearable tragedy” and vowed to continue “with a supreme effort to return all the hostages home safely”.
Image: (L-R) Yotam Haim, Samer Talalka and Alon Shamriz
“Together with the entire people of Israel, I bow my head in deep sorrow and mourn the death of three of our dear sons who were kidnapped,” Mr Netanyahu said.
“My heart goes out to the grieving families in their difficult time.”
Separately, an Israeli strike killed a Palestinian journalist in the south of the Gaza Strip.
Hamas abducted more than 240 people in their attack on 7 October which triggered the war. More than 100 hostages still remain captive, according to Israeli authorities.
Demonstrations calling for the safe return of the hostages take place nearly every day in Israel – including one on Friday, where hundreds of protesters blocked Tel Aviv’s main highway.
Read more:Israel-Gaza latest – Updates after hostages tragedyWhat is the two-state solution for Israel and Palestinians?
The victims: ‘Gifted musician, avid motorcyclist and dedicated fan’
The three hostages were killed in the Gaza City area of Shijaiyah, where troops have been engaged in fierce fighting with Hamas militants.
A statement by the IDF said they had “mistakenly identified three Israeli hostages as a threat. As a result, the troops fired toward them and they were killed”.
The military expressed “deep remorse” and said it “began reviewing the incident immediately”.
The Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum, which represents the families of hostages, expressed its condolences and paid tribute to the victims.
It said that “Yotam was a gifted musician and dedicated metal music fan who idolised the band Megadeth” while “Samer was an avid motorcyclist who loved to ride around the countryside and spend time with friends”.
The forum added: “Alon’s family and friends described him as a lover of life and a dedicated basketball fan.”
Al Jazeera camera operator killed
In southern Gaza, al Jazeera said an Israeli strike in the city of Khan Younis had killed cameraman Samer Abu Dakka and wounded its chief correspondent in Gaza, Wael Dahdouh.
Mr Dahdouh, a veteran of covering Israel-Gaza wars whose wife and children were killed by an Israeli strike earlier in the current conflict, was wounded by shrapnel in his right arm.
Image: Samer Abu Daqqa
Speaking from a hospital bed, Mr Dahdouh told the network that he managed to walk to an ambulance.
But Mr Dakka lay bleeding in the school and died hours later.
Source : Sky News
