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Israeli hostages who were mistakenly killed had attempted to alert IDF, footage reveals

K9 GoPro footage recorded Alon Shamriz yelling towards the camera, “There are hostages here!” and another hostage calling out his name. 

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

The IDF has recovered GoPro footage in the ruins of Gaza City’s Shijaiyah neighborhood that provides more information about the three hostages who were mistaken for terrorists and killed by IDF soldiers last weekend.

The GoPro camera carried by the K9 (military dog) that was killed in an attack five days before the tragic deaths of the hostages recorded Alon Shamriz, one of the hostages who formerly fought with the Yahalom Unit which regularly works with K9s, yelling towards the camera, “There are hostages here!” and another hostage calling out his name.

Presumably, Alon Shamriz thought it was possible the GoPro footage was being broadcast directly to the IDF.

In the recording, only the voices of the hostages are heard, but none of the hostages are seen.

According to the footage and other evidence, the terrorists holding the three hostages–Samer Talalka, Alon Shamriz and Yotam Haim– were killed in fighting after the K9 entered the building, and the dog was also killed.

The three hostages, freed because the terrorists keeping them in the building were dead, used extra scraps of food to write “SOS” and “Help! 3hostages” signs on the wall.

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They also created a makeshift flag out of white fabric, were shirtless, and approached troops crying “help” in Hebrew, but their gestures were mistaken for a terrorist bluff.

In addition, the fact that the hostages wore Adidas leggings and had long beards led soldiers to believe they were the enemy.

An investigation into the event is currently ongoing, and more information is expected to come to light.

The tragic accidental killing of the three hostages has intensified calls to enter into a deal to free the remaining Israeli captives in Gaza.

Israel offered Hamas Monday a week-long humanitarian pause in the Gazan war and more Palestinian prisoners in exchange for some 40 hostages during renewed negotiations with Qatar in Warsaw, Walla reported Tuesday.