Haaretz: Israelis have killed 20 of its own captives in Gaza

Al Bawaba

30-05-2025

ALBAWABA - According to a recent study by the Israeli daily Haaretz, Israeli military activities since the war's start on October 7, 2023, have murdered at least 20 Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
The research highlights the serious repercussions of Israeli bombings conducted without verified information on hostage locations, even though military authorities have repeatedly said that every attempt is being taken to protect the hostages.
According to the research, Israeli attacks have put the lives of 54 prisoners in immediate jeopardy. The military often bombarded sites where hostages could be present without first confirming their precise whereabouts. One such instance mentioned was on April 7, 2025, when an Israeli aircraft struck a structure above a tunnel that was housing two hostages, Matan Zangoker and Idan Alexander. After the tunnel partly collapsed, the two barely made it out alive. Despite assertions of having accurate information, the episode revealed serious intelligence shortcomings.
According to military insiders, operations go according to schedule if there is no information available on the hostages. "The more strikes we carry out, the more we risk harming the hostages," one insider told Haaretz. By recounting their horrific stories of barely escaping attacks, several former prisoners also disclosed that they were more afraid of Israeli bombs than of Hamas imprisonment.
Three captives—Alon Shamriz, Samer Talalka, and Yoav Haim—were shot dead by Israeli soldiers when they came out nude with white flags, thinking they were being freed, according to the report. The troops were not informed that there were prisoners in the region.
Another incidence occurred in February when an Israeli attack on a tunnel produced poisonous fumes that caused six captives to suffocate and die in Khan Younis. Yoram Metzger and Yagiv Buchstab were among the deceased.
The hostages' families have voiced their indignation at what they see as the military's and government's "systemic negligence." One hostage's mother, Einav Zangoker, denounced the continuous attacks as politically driven acts that disrespect the life of the captives. "While the government bombs possible holding sites, our sons have been left behind for 600 days," she said.
The military acknowledged some of the failures, with officials admitting that intelligence about hostage locations is often fleeting and quickly outdated once captives are relocated. One source described the army as effectively 'blind' in many operations, with decisions frequently made before receiving updated intelligence.