Israeli hostages killed mistakenly by own army in Gaza were holding white flag, official says

Smoke billows from Israeli bombardment over Khan Yunis from Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on December 16, 2023, amid ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. (Photo by SAID KHATIB / AFP)

JERUSALEM (Reuters): Three Israeli hostages killed mistakenly in Gaza by Israeli forces had been holding up a white flag, according to an initial inquiry into the incident, a military official said on Saturday.

The incident happened in an area of intense combat where Hamas militants operate in civilian attire and use deception tactics, the official said.