Killed by mistake: The IDF admits to shooting and killing 3 Israeli hostages in error

WASHINGTON - The Israeli Defense Forces said Friday that it mistakenly shot and killed three Israeli hostages in Gaza who soldiers misidentified as threats − a tragedy certain to add to the anger Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing from hostage families.

The hostages killed in the gunfire were 28-year-old Yotam Haim, 24-year-old Samer Talalka and 26-year-old Alon Shamriz, the IDF said in a statement.

"Together with the entire people of Israel, I bow my head in deep sorrow and mourn the fall of three of our dear sons who were kidnapped," Netanyahu said in a statement.

"This is an unbearable tragedy. The entire State of Israel will mourn this evening. My heart goes out to the grieving families in their difficult time," he said.

IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said the military encountered the hostages on Friday and it wasn't clear if they had escaped or been abandoned by Hamas captors. The Israeli military said the incident happened in an active combat zone where fighting had been ongoing in recent days. The IDF said officials had learned from the incident and shared "lessons" with troops.

The mistaken killings come as the Biden administration and Israel are working to release more than 100 hostages who remain in Gaza after a one-week temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas resulted in the release of about 100 hostages.

John Kirby, a White House spokesman on national security matters, called the deaths of the three hostages "heartbreaking."

President Joe Biden has been briefed by his national security team on the raid but has not spoken to Netanyahu about it, Kirby said.

The U.S. doesn’t have many specific details on how the operation unfolded and how the accident happened, Kirby said. He said he expects the Israelis to investigate.

The Biden administration has urged Israel to take steps to limit civilian casualties. Asked what the killing of the hostages says about Israel’s ability to carry out precise strikes, Kirby said, “I don’t think that we can necessarily make some sort of broad judgment about the specific circumstances here.”

Right now, we are mourning with the families that are getting the worst possible news a family can get, and I think we need to keep them foremost in mind,” Kirby said.

Leaked audio reported by CNN last week from meetings between recently freed hostages and Netanyahu revealed anger at the Israeli government over its conduct during the Israel-Hamas war they claimed put them in danger.

"The feeling we had there was that no one was doing anything for us," a female abductee is heard saying, according to CNN. "The fact is that I was in a hiding place that was shelled and we had to be smuggled out and we were wounded. That’s besides the helicopter that shot at us on the way to Gaza.”

Netanyahu has said his top priority remains securing the release of remaining hostages in Gaza and has vowed to continue the war until Hamas is defeated

I strengthen our brave warriors who penetrate the sacred mission of returning our abducted, even at the cost of their lives," Netanyahu said in his statement. "Even on this difficult evening, we will bind up our wounds, learn the lessons and continue with a supreme effort to return all our abductees home safely."