Israeli investigation concludes troops' presence led to killing of six hostages

An Israeli military investigation concluded Tuesday that the presence of troops operating in the Rafah area in the southern Gaza Strip likely led to the killing of six hostages by Hamas fighters in August, according to a statement from the army. The bodies of hostages Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi and Ori Danino were found by the Israeli army in an underground well in Gaza at the end of August.

The Israeli army then indicated that the six hostages had been killed just before the soldiers reached them, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu having specified that they had been “executed” with a bullet “in the head”. The Israeli army, which had ordered an investigation, indicated on Tuesday that the “The army's ground activities, although gradual and cautious, had a circumstantial influence on the terrorists' decision to kill the six hostages”. “The chief of staff determined, based on the investigation, that the hostages were killed by fire from Hamas terrorists, while army forces were operating in the area.”

“It’s time to bring back all the hostages”

In a statement released later Tuesday, the Hostage Families Forum, the main association of relatives of hostages captured during the unprecedented Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, called for the return of all hostages still held in Gaza. “It’s time to bring back all the hostages. We need an agreement that guarantees the return of all hostages within a rapid and predetermined time frame”he declared.

In recent days, indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas, with the mediation of Qatar, Egypt and the United States, took place in Doha, reviving hopes of an agreement. On Monday before Parliament, Mr. Netanyahu reported “some progress” in the negotiations. On Tuesday, his office said Israeli negotiators had returned from Qatar after “meaningful negotiations”. “The team returns to Israel for internal consultations regarding continued negotiations for the return of our hostages”he added. Palestinian groups, including Hamas, also reported progress this week toward a ceasefire and a hostage deal.

The Hamas attack in Israel on October 7 resulted in the deaths of at least 1,208 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP count based on official Israeli data. Of the 251 people kidnapped that day, 96 are still being held in Gaza, 34 of whom were declared dead by the Israeli army. More than 45,000 Palestinians were killed in the Israeli military campaign in retaliation, the majority civilians, according to data from the Hamas government's Health Ministry for Gaza, deemed reliable by the UN.