Israeli military says it accidentally killed three captives in 2023: Reports
After months of denial, the Israeli army has confirmed that Gaza captives Ron Sherman, Nick Beiser, and Elia Toledano were killed in an Israeli strike in December 2023, according to Israeli media reports.
At the time, it was reported that the pathological examination could not definitively determine the cause of death for two of the captives.
The military told the families of the captives there was no intelligence suggesting their presence in the underground area targeted during the operation, which resulted in the death of commander Ahmed Ghandour.
Israeli soldiers discovered the captives’ bodies during subsequent searches of the tunnels, and had no prior knowledge of their location, the army told the families.
The forensic report showed no signs of trauma or gunshot wounds, suggesting the captives were not killed by direct impact from the strike. Due to the condition of the remains, the exact cause of death could not be determined.
Probe finds ‘high probability’ 3 captives killed as a result of Israeli air raid: Army
“The findings of the investigation suggest a high probability that the three were killed as a result of a byproduct of an IDF airstrike, during the elimination of the Hamas Northern Brigade commander, Ahmed Ghandour, on November 10th, 2023,” it said.
The statement added that the assessment “is based on the location of where their bodies were found in relation to the strike’s impact, performance analysis of the strike, intelligence findings, the results of the pathological reports, and the conclusions of the Forensic Medicine Institute”.
“The investigation indicates that the three hostages were held in the tunnel complex from which Ghandour operated. At the time of the strike, the IDF did not have information about the presence of hostages in the targeted compound.” it added, referring to the Israeli army.
Furthermore, there was information suggesting that they were located elsewhere, and thus the area was not designated as one with suspected presence of hostages,” the statement continued, noting that the bodies of the three men were recovered on December 14 “following precise intelligence received” regarding their location.
Israel recruiting asylum seekers from Africa for Gaza war
Israel is recruiting asylum seekers from Africa to take part in military operations in Gaza in exchange for residency rights, Israeli media outlet Haaretz reports.
The report is based on testimonies of asylum seekers who were offered permanent residency status in exchange for joining the war effort in Gaza.
Haaretz quoted unnamed military officials saying the programme was being carried out in an “organised manner” under the supervision of “defence establishment” legal advisers.
So far, none of the asylum seekers involved in the war effort has been granted official status, the report said, adding that about 30,000 asylum seekers reside in Israel.
