Israeli military accidentally killed three Israeli hostages during its ground operation in the Gaza Strip. Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari stated that the hostages were mistakenly identified as a threat. The army expressed “deep sorrow” and was investigating the incident.
The deaths occurred in the Gaza City area of Shijaiyah, where troops have been engaged in fierce battles against Hamas militants recently.
U.S. and Israeli officials were discussing a timetable for scaling back intense combat operations in the war against Hamas. American and Israeli officials have been vague in public about how Gaza will be run if Israel achieves its goal of ending Hamas control.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan that it would take months to destroy Hamas, without specifying whether his estimate referred to the current phase of airstrikes and ground battles.
The offensive, triggered by an unprecedented Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, has flattened much of northern Gaza and driven 80% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million from their homes. Displaced people have squeezed into shelters mainly in the south in a spiraling humanitarian crisis.
