New details emerged Saturday following the tragic incident in which three Israeli hostages that had been taken by Hamas on Oct. 7 were mistaken for terrorists by IDF troops and then killed.
The incident occurred in an area where there were no civilians present, and where most of the people identified were usually terrorists trying to harm our forces. However, in recent days the forces have encountered incidents where terrorists tried to lure them into traps. According to a senior official, the IDF was not familiar with a scenario where they might encounter roaming hostages. Several dozen meters separated the battalion's force from the building where the hostages were.
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According to the initial investigation, three suspicious figures were spotted exiting a building located just tens of meters from where the force was positioned, carrying a white flag on a pole. One of the soldiers felt threatened, shouted "terrorists !" and opened fire toward them despite the rules of engagements prohibiting using live fire on those carrying a white flag who want to surrender. The soldier hit two of the hostages, and then a third hostage ran back into the building. At this point shouts of "Save us" in Hebrew were heard.
The battalion commander held fire, believing it was an incident aimed at deceiving the forces. The fighters shouted at the figure, who only later turned out to be an Israeli hostage, to come out, and cries of "Save us" in Hebrew were apparently heard from the building. The figure emerged and IDF forces mistakenly opened fire on him. Due to the figure's appearance, the battalion commander realized this was a major incident and an investigation was launched.
Two days before the tragedy, a building with "Three hostages," "SOS," and "Save us" spraypainted in red was discovered a few hundred meters from where it occurred. The connection to the incident in which the hostages were accidentally killed is being investigated. The forces have already encountered such writings on buildings that turned out to be booby-trapped.
An instruction page was distributed to forces in the field as part of the lessons learned. Among the lessons emphasized: There is a possibility that abandoned or escaped hostages may be encountered, the forces must be aware of the feasibility of such an encounter and look for indicative signs such as Hebrew speech, raised hands and attire. The presence of a senior commander should be updated and brought to the area to make decisions. In addition, a refresher and clarification of the oreules of engagement for all forces was conducted.
Video: Israeli hostages being handed over by Hamas on November 28, 2023 / Credit: Social media
The Chief of Staff arrived immediately after the incident at the Southern Command. According to a source, "It is a terrible tragedy. We could have been inches away from rescuing three of our people who, thanks to the maneuvers of their captors, were killed or fled. The scenario we encountered is extremely complex, on the verge of impossible. The feelings of the soldiers are awful. They did their jobs faithfully and risked their lives."
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