Three Israeli hostages, whose bodies were found last year in underground tunnels in Gaza, were likely killed in a military airstrike targeting a Hamas commander, an investigation into their deaths has found.
An investigation into the deaths of Nik Beizer, 19, Ron Sherman, 19, and Elia Toledano, 28, found that there was a “high probability” that the hostages were killed “as a result of a byproduct of an IDF airstrike” targeting Hamas Northern Brigade commander Ahmed Ghandour, the Israel Defense Forces said on Sunday. The three hostages were being held in a tunnel where Ghandour was operating when the army struck on Nov. 10, the IDF said. Their bodies were found on Dec. 14 in a Hamas tunnel complex and an investigation into their deaths was completed in recent days.
“At the time of the attack, the IDF had no information about the presence of hostages in the targeted compound,” the military said.
The IDF said this was a “high probability” assessment, but that it was “not possible to definitively determine” the cause of death of the three hostages. The assessment was based on a number of factors, including intelligence reports, the location where their bodies were found, an analysis of the attack and conclusions from the Forensic Medicine Institute.
“The IDF shares the families’ grief over this devastating loss and will continue to stand with them,” the IDF said.
Both Beizer and Sherman were members of the Israeli army.
Sherman was serving in his first year in the IDF, assigned to a base near a Gaza border crossing when Hamas bombed and attacked the soldiers inside. Sherman’s mother previously told NBC News that he texted his parents just before he was abducted in the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, saying in Hebrew, “Mom, I love you.”
The survey results are a fresh blow to the Israeli government, which is facing intense domestic protests calling for a ceasefire.
Earlier this month, the Israeli military reported that it had found the bodies of six hostages killed by Hamas and returned them to Israel.
Their deaths prompted tens of thousands of Israeli citizens to take to the streets, directing their anger at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Some family members of hostages still trapped in Gaza have also been outspoken against Netanyahu, accusing him of putting his own political agenda ahead of the lives of their loved ones.
An estimated 250 people were kidnapped and held hostage in the Gaza Strip. More than 100 were released during a short-lived ceasefire agreement in late November last year, before the deal to end hostilities fell apart.
In the months that followed, some hostages were rescued or found dead by the military. The IDF estimates that there are still 101 hostages in Gaza.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
