2023-12-16 14:59:22
Published16. December 2023, 3:59 p.m.
Gaza: Hostages killed by Israeli army had white flag
The Israeli army has opened an investigation following the death of three young hostages in Gaza. They were killed by an Israeli soldier following calling for help in Hebrew and hoisting a white cloth.
Shortly following the announcement of the death of the three hostages, demonstrators demanded explanations in front of the headquarters of the Israeli army in Tel Aviv.
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The Israeli army indicated on Saturday that the hostages killed by its soldiers in Gaza brandished a white flag and spoke in Hebrew, in an area where troops were being ambushed, according to the first elements of the investigation. The three hostages, aged 25 to 28, appeared “a few dozen meters from one of our positions” in the Choujaiya neighborhood of Gaza City, a military official said.
“One of the soldiers saw them when they appeared. They weren’t wearing a T-shirt and they had a stick with a white cloth on it. The soldier felt threatened and fired, he declared that they were terrorists. Two hostages were killed,” added this official. “Immediately, the third, wounded, rushed into the building, and the soldiers heard a cry for help in Hebrew.”
The battalion commander then ordered “to stop shooting”, but new bursts were “fired towards the building”, and the third person “died”. The military official made it clear that the incident went “ once morest our rules of engagement”.
“Great pressure”, “intense fighting”, “Numerous ambushes”
Shortly following the announcement of the deaths of the three hostages on Friday evening, families and supporters demonstrated to demand an immediate agreement for the release of the hostages, in Tel Aviv, where they had also planned to meet SATURDAY.
“They weren’t wearing a T-shirt and they had a stick with a white cloth on it. The soldier felt threatened and fired, he declared that they were terrorists.”
The army reported a “tragic event” that occurred in an area of the Gaza Strip where soldiers are facing “great pressure,” “intense fighting” and “numerous ambushes.”
According to the official, a building on which “SOS” was written is “a few hundred meters” from the scene of the incident and the army is investigating to find out “if there is a link with the hostages” . To date, 129 people are still held prisoner by Hamas in Gaza.
(AFP)
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