The Israeli army's accidental killing of three Israeli detainees in Gaza has sparked a new round of protests in the country. The Israeli military said Israeli soldiers saw three men holding white flags and shirtless shirts, "mistaken them for threats" and shot them dead.
The Israeli government is under increasing pressure as demonstrators demand that the Israeli government reach an agreement with Hamas to release more detainees. Israeli polls suggest that the Israeli government may face a political reckoning at home after the end of the military conflict.
"Misidentification of three Israeli detainees as a threat"
According to a statement from the Israeli military, on December 15, local time, in a densely built community in Gaza City, the Israeli army "mistakenly identified three Israeli detainees as a threat", and soldiers opened fire on them, killing them.
An Israeli military officer, speaking to the media on 16 December, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that at the time of the incident, three shirtless men came out of a building, one of whom was holding a stick tied with a white cloth.
The officer said that Israeli soldiers saw three men a few dozen meters away, thought they were threatening, shouted "terrorists" and opened fire. Two of the three men were immediately shot and killed, while the remaining one was wounded and retreated back into the building.
Subsequently, Israeli soldiers heard the man's cry for help in Hebrew, and the Israeli commander at the scene ordered a ceasefire.
On December 15, 2023 local time, in the northern Gaza Strip, Israeli soldiers are in action. Photo/IC photo
The three bodies were returned to Israel on the same day, officially identified as Samer Talalka, 22, Yotam Haim, 28, and Alon Shamriz, 26. They were all abducted by Hamas militants on 7 October and held in the Gaza Strip for 72 days until they were shot dead by Israeli forces.
The Israeli military said it had "immediately begun investigating the incident." Israeli officials have acknowledged that firing at people holding white flags violates the rules of engagement. Officials also said the three detainees may have escaped from Hamas custody or been abandoned by Hamas before they were shot.
On December 17, local time, the Israeli army searched the building where the incident occurred and found a piece of cloth with the words "SOS" and "Help, 3 detainees" written on food residues. Investigators believe the trio had been hiding inside the building for some time.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement: "This incident breaks my heart and the heart of the whole country. He stressed that Israel had vowed to bring "all the hostages back safely."
Netanyahu also said that even in the midst of deep grief, Israel will continue to advance its military operations, and that continued "military pressure is essential to rescue detainees and defeat our enemies."
Angry protests erupted in the streets of Tel Aviv against the Israeli government
Angry protests against the government erupted on the streets of Tel Aviv, Israel's second-largest city, after news broke that Israeli forces had mistakenly killed three detainees in Gaza, according to local media reports.
In a place in central Tel Aviv known as the "Detainees Square", Raz bin Ami, who was released from the Gaza Strip late last month, told the crowd that she had "warned" the Israeli government that military operations in Gaza were putting detainees at risk, a warning that was "unfortunately confirmed."
Another demonstrator holds an hourglass that symbolizes the urgency of time. He said his 19-year-old son was still in custody and that the government needed to act aggressively to reach a new agreement to release more detainees. He believes that the current Government's strategy on the issue of detainees is clearly not working.
Mr. Siegel, 71, said at the demonstrations that his brother was still in custody and that he and others wanted a commitment from the government that reaching an agreement to release the detainees was a top priority.
Siegel said he believed the detainees would only be released in the event of a ceasefire, but was not sure whether the Israeli leadership would accept the views of the demonstrators, and that "Netanyahu seems to be more concerned about his political life."
On December 16, 2023 local time, in Tel Aviv, Israel, the families of detainees and other people held demonstrations. Photo/IC photo
Since the temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas ended in early December, families of detainees and other members of the public have been calling on the Government of Israel to reach a new truce with Hamas to release the detainees.
The last ceasefire agreement resulted in the release of more than 100 detainees, in exchange for the release of 240 Palestinians from prison. The Israeli Prime Minister's Office estimates that 115 people remain detained in the Gaza Strip.
As of December 15, the new Palestinian-Israeli conflict had killed about 18,800 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. According to United Nations estimates, about 90 per cent of the population of the Gaza Strip has been displaced, and many are living in deteriorating humanitarian conditions. On the Israeli side, about 1,200 people were killed in the October 7 Hamas attack, and another 116 Israeli soldiers were killed in military operations in the Gaza Strip.
US press: Netanyahu may be worried about his political life
According to US media reports, US and Israeli officials have said they are concerned that some of Netanyahu's positions in the new round of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict are aimed at prolonging his own political life.
Recent Israeli polls suggest that Netanyahu could face reckoning once the war ends. Seventy-two percent of Israelis surveyed said they believe there will be a massive civil protest demanding accountability at the top of the Israeli government.
A U.S. lawmaker, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: "Netanyahu has every incentive to continue the war in order to secure his political life." ”
Yohanan Pleshner, director of the Israel Institute for Democratic Studies, also said Netanyahu may have serious concerns about the "post-war". He seems to be worried not only about how to stabilize the post-war security situation, but also about how the post-war situation might affect his political career and how to reshape his political position. ”
Mr. Pleshner said that as calls for a ceasefire grew, Netanyahu hesitated to negotiate a ceasefire to release detainees. In addition, once the war is over, Netanyahu will face the question of responsibility for the October 7 attacks.
At the same time, the Israeli government is facing increasing international pressure, including from its European and American allies, as the death toll among Palestinian civilians continues to rise.
David Barnea, the head of Israel's intelligence agency, the Mossad, met with Qatari and U.S. officials in France to discuss diplomatic issues related to the detainees, sources said on December 16. However, there is no sign of any abatement of the military conflict in the Gaza Strip.
On December 17, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna traveled to Israel to call for an "immediate and lasting ceasefire". Britain and Germany have also called for a "lasting ceasefire", but have not said there should be an immediate ceasefire.
Beijing News reporter Chen Yikai
Edited by Zhang Lei and proofread by Li Lijun