IDF 'mistakenly' kills three Israeli hostages in Gaza

Tel Aviv, Dec 16: Israel Defense Forces (IDF) troops, in a case of mistaken identity, killed three Israeli hostages in northern Gaza’s Shejaiya neighbourhood on Friday.

IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari in a statement on Friday night said that the incident occurred in the morning and the military bears full responsibility for the "tragic incident", which happened "in an area where the soldiers encountered many terrorists, including suicide bombers".

The hostages, who died after troops fired at them, were identified as Yohan Haim who was abducted by Hamas from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, Samar Fouad Talalka -- abducted from Nir Am and Alon Shamriz, also from Kfar Aza.

Hagari said that the incident occurred in the Gaza neighbourhood that has seen some of the heaviest fighting in recent days.