IDF Says It ‘Failed in Its Mission’ Following Probe Into Killing of 3 Hostages

Following an investigation by the Israel Defense Forces into its killing of three hostages during a rescue mission in the Shejaiya area in Gaza on Dec. 15, the IDF Chief of the General Staff, Herzi Halevi, said on Thursday that it “failed in its mission to rescue” them and “the entire chain of command feels responsible.”

The report reads, “An IDF soldier fired toward three figures, identified as threats, and hit two of the hostages who were killed. The third figure fled.”

The fighters were then told to hold their fire. “After approximately 15 minutes, the battalion commander heard shouts in Hebrew of ‘help’ and ‘they are shooting at me,’ and gave additional orders to hold fire, calling out in Hebrew ‘come toward us’.”

Read more at The Daily Beast.