Accidental friendly fire: Israeli soldiers mistakenly kill three escaped Hamas hostages

The soldiers misinterpreted the hostages as a threat and opened fire, causing their untimely deaths. Following the unfortunate confrontation, immediate inquiries were made into the identity of the deceased. Their bodies were promptly transferred to Israel for examination, where they were subsequently identified as the hostages, stated the spokesperson.

This is a profoundly tragic and painful event for everyone. "The Israeli Defense Forces take full responsibility for what transpired," voiced Hagari mournfully.

This incident occurred in an area where soldiers had frequently encountered terrorists, including suicide bombers, he further added. Hagari expressed his personal and heartfelt condolences to the families of the slain hostages.

Hagari announced that an investigation would be initiated into this matter. However, as of now, the military is still gathering facts and clarifying the particulars of this incident. He gave assurances that the investigation would be conducted with full transparency.

On Tuesday, a report from the Israeli army highlighted that out of the 105 soldiers who have fallen since the commencement of the war with Hamas, 13 lost their lives due to friendly fire when they were mistakenly identified as enemy combatants.