The bodies of the three men were later transferred to Israeli territory for examination, leading to the grim realization that they were, in fact, Israeli hostages. The IDF issued a statement expressing deep remorse over the tragic incident and extended heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims.
“During combat in Shejaiya, the IDF mistakenly identified three Israeli hostages as a threat. As a result, the troops fired toward them, and they were killed,” the IDF statement explained. “Our national mission is to locate the missing and return all the hostages home.”
Identification
This devastating revelation came just hours after Israel’s military announced the recovery of the bodies of two 19-year-old Israeli soldiers, Cpl. Nik Beizer and Sgt. Ron Sherman, who had been taken captive by Hamas.
The IDF expressed condolences to the families of the deceased soldiers and reiterated its commitment to locating the missing. And bringing all the hostages back home.
Cpl. Nik Beizer had commenced his military service on April 30 and was stationed near a Gaza border crossing as part of a unit coordinating the flow of goods into the Palestinian enclave. Tragically, he lost his life in an area where he was working to facilitate the lives of Gazans.
