Israel mistakenly kills 3 hostages, Netanyahu says 'unbearable tragedy'
What's the story
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Saturday announced its troops had shot and killed three hostages held by Hamas during its ground operation in the Gaza Strip after mistaking them for a "threat."
Adding that the incident was being investigated, it expressed "deep remorse over the tragic incident" and conveyed "heartfelt condolences" to the affected families.
Over 100 hostages remain in captivity in Hamas-controlled Gaza.
Context
Why does this story matter?
The ongoing conflict in Gaza started on October 7, after the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas killed around 1,200 Israelis and took 240 hostages during its surprise attacks on the Jewish nation.
Israel responded by launching multi-pronged military aggression in the strip, killing nearly 19,000 Palestinians so far.
The ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza has also triggered a major humanitarian crisis in the region.
Details
IDF confirms identities of deceased hostages
The deceased hostages have been identified as Yotam Haim, Samer Talalka, and Alon Shamriz.
The Israeli army confirmed that Hamas kidnapped Talalka from Kibbutz Nir Am. Shamriz and Haim were kidnapped by the Palestinian terrorist group from Kibbutz Kfar Aza during the October 7 attacks.
Following the IDF's announcement, hundreds of Israelis gathered in central Tel Aviv, calling on the government to reach a deal for the release of the remaining captives.
What Next?
IDF expresses 'deep remorse' over 'tragic incident'
Meanwhile, the IDF emphasized that the incident occurred in an active combat zone where fighting has been going on over the past few days.
"The IDF expresses deep remorse over the tragic incident and sends the families its heartfelt condolences," it said.
"Our national mission is to locate the missing and return all the hostages home," the Israeli army reiterated.
Insights
How Netanyahu reacted to Israel mistakenly killing hostages
Reacting to this development, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, "This is an unbearable tragedy, and all of Israel is grieving their loss this evening. My heart goes out to the bereaved families at this difficult time."
At the same time, he lauded "courageous" Israeli soldiers for risking their lives to bring home hostages taken by Hamas.
Know more
Biden's recent remarks on Israel's military offensive in Gaza
This comes just a day after United States (US) President Joe Biden urged Israel to do more to protect civilians in Gaza and asserted that America wants the Jewish nation to scale down its offensive against Hamas.
Talking to reporters after an event, he said, "I want them to be focused on how to save civilian lives—not stop going after Hamas, but be more careful."