Yotam Haim, drummer for the Israeli metalcore band Persephore, was kidnapped by Hamas on October 7th. Now, according to the… IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari was mistakenly shot dead by Israeli forces in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, along with two other hostages named Samar Fouad Talalka and Alon Shamriz. The tragic incident occurred in Shejaiya on Friday (December 15th). The three were said to have attempted to flee Hamas, but were misidentified as terrorists by IDF soldiers and killed.
Yotam Haim and two other hostages are dead – that’s what the IDF says
Yotam Haim, 28, was taken hostage after Hamas terrorists attacked his kibbutz Kfar Aza. Hagari said the IDF bears full responsibility for the “tragic incident” that occurred Friday morning “in an area where the soldiers encountered many terrorists, including suicide bombers.” There has been heavy fighting in the past few days, especially in the region around Shejaiya.
Asked how the hostages escaped from Hamas captivity, Hagari said the military believed that “the three escaped or were abandoned by the terrorists who held them captive” as IDF forces approached.
In his statement, Hagari also said that following suspicions that those killed might be hostages, the victims were taken to Israel for examination, where the men were eventually identified. “This is a sad and painful event for all of us, and the IDF bears responsibility for everything that happened. In some cases, suicide bombers were encountered, as well as attacks in which terrorists attempted to lure and ambush our troops. Shortly after the tragic incident, another skirmish with terrorists occurred near the place where the incident took place,” Hagari said.
He said the IDF was still working to “gather the facts and clarify the details of the incident.” Meanwhile, new hostage identification protocols were handed over to ground forces “to do everything possible to prevent another tragic event how to prevent this.” “The IDF expresses its deep regret over the disaster and shares in the grief of the families. May her memory be blessed,” Hagari added.
It is currently assumed that there are still 132 kidnapped people in the Gaza Strip – and not all of the hostages are still alive. The IDF has confirmed the deaths of 20 of those still held by Hamas, citing new information and intelligence gained by forces operating in Gaza.