What we know about the killing of 3 Israeli hostages by the IDF

Questions abound about a tragic accident on Friday that saw the Israel Defense Forces shoot and kill three Israelis who had been taken hostage by Hamas during the group’s October 7 terror attack.

An investigation is underway after a tragic incident on Friday that saw the Israel Defense Forces shoot and kill three Israelis in Gaza who had been taken hostage by Hamas during the group’s October 7 terror attack. Here’s what we know. The men were killed while waving a white flag in violation of IDF rules of engagement, an IDF official said on Saturday. The official - who spoke to journalists on the condition of anonymity to speak freely about an ongoing investigation - said the trio emerged shirtless, waving their flag, from a building “tens of meters” away from a group of Israeli troops in the Gaza City neighborhood of Shejaiya. At least one soldier felt threatened and opened fire, killing two of the men immediately. The third was wounded and ran back inside the building. The Israeli unit overheard a cry for help in Hebrew, at which time the brigade commander ordered his troops to stop shooting. However, there was another burst of gunfire. The third hostage died later. It’s unclear which hostage survived initially and when he was killed, the official added.