JERUSALEM: The Israeli military on Sunday said there was a “high probability” an Israeli air strike was responsible for the deaths of three hostages who were killed in Gaza in November.
The bodies of the three hostages, Corporal Nik Beizer, Sergeant Ron Sherman and French-Israeli Elia Toledano, were brought back to Israel in December.
“The findings of the investigation suggest a high probability that the three were killed as a result of a byproduct of an IDF air strike, during the elimination of the Hamas Northern Brigade commander, Ahmed Ghandour, on November 10th, 2023,” the military said in a statement, referring to the three captives.
“This 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.”
“This is a high-probability assessment based on all of the available information, but it is not possible to definitively determine the circumstances of their deaths,” the military said.
The bodies of the three hostages were recovered on December 14.
The military said its investigation revealed that the three captives had been held in a 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,” the military said.
“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 war in Gaza erupted after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,205 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.
Militants also seized 251 hostages, 97 of whom are still held captive in Gaza, including 33 the Israeli military says are dead.
Israel’s retaliatory military offensive in Gaza has so far killed at least 41,206 people, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory, which does not provide details of civilian and militant deaths.
While 105 hostages were released during a one-week truce in November in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, three captives were killed by Israeli fire.
Yotam Haim, Samer El-Talalqa and Alon Shamriz were mistakenly killed by Israeli troops in December in north Gaza, according to the military.
Army says ‘high probability’ Israel air strike caused deaths of 3 hostages in November
https://arab.news/cekqc
Army says ‘high probability’ Israel air strike caused deaths of 3 hostages in November
- “The findings of the investigation suggest a high probability that the three were killed as a result of a byproduct of an IDF air strike,” the military said
Israel army says struck Hezbollah targets in ‘several areas’ of Lebanon
- The Israeli military said it struck “several areas in Lebanon,” targeting “weapons storage facilities and a weapons production site
- Lebanese official news agency NNA reported strikes on southern Lebanon in areas far from the border
JERUSALEM: Israel’s military said it struck Hezbollah targets in several areas of Lebanon on Friday, a day after the Lebanese army said it had completed the first phase of its plan to disarm the group.
Under US pressure and amid fears of expanded Israeli strikes, Lebanon has committed to disarming the Iran-backed militant group, which was weakened by more than a year of hostilities with Israel including two months of all-out war that ended with a November 2024 ceasefire.
Despite the truce, Israel has kept up regular strikes in Lebanon, usually saying it is targeting Hezbollah sites and operatives, and has maintained troops in five south Lebanon areas it deems strategic, accusing the group of rearming.
In a statement on Friday, the Israeli military said it struck “several areas in Lebanon,” targeting “weapons storage facilities and a weapons production site that were used for the rehabilitation and military build-up of the Hezbollah terrorist organization.”
“Additionally, several launch sites and rocket launchers, along with military structures, were struck,” it added.
Lebanese official news agency NNA reported strikes on southern Lebanon in areas far from the border, as well as in the eastern Bekaa area where Hezbollah has a strong presence.
No casualties were immediately reported.
“The targets that were struck, and Hezbollah’s reestablishment activity in these sites, constitute a violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon, and pose a threat to the State of Israel,” the military statement said.
- ‘Encouraging announcements’ -
Lebanon’s army said Thursday it had “achieved the objectives of the first phase” of its plan to disarm Hezbollah, covering the area south of the Litani River — around 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the Israeli border — with the intention to extend it to the rest of the country.
Israel said the efforts were encouraging but not enough.
“The ceasefire agreement... states clearly, Hezbollah must be fully disarmed,” the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.
“Efforts made toward this end by the Lebanese government and the Lebanese armed forces are an encouraging beginning, but they are far from sufficient,” it added.
Lebanese official media said a strike on Thursday killed one person near the southern city of Sidon, as Israel’s army said it targeted a Hezbollah operative.
Under the ceasefire, Hezbollah was to withdraw its forces north of the Litani River and have its military infrastructure dismantled in the evacuated areas.
The group has refused to surrender its weapons.
On Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the “encouraging announcements by the Lebanese authorities,” calling for the disarmament process to be pursued “resolutely.”
“The second phase of the plan will be a decisive step,” he wrote on X, adding that “the ceasefire agreement must be strictly respected by all parties.”
“Lebanon’s sovereignty must be fully restored,” he added, saying an international conference would soon be held in Paris “to provide them with the concrete means to guarantee this sovereignty.”
