'TRAGIC' ERROR
Protests erupt in the streets of Tel Aviv after Israel admits it mistakenly shot dead three hostages captured by Hamas
The hostages were reportedly trying to escape and holding a white flag when they were shot dead by IDF soldiers
PROTESTS have erupted in Tel Aviv after Israeli forces admitted they mistakenly shot and killed three Hamas hostages after wrongly identifying them as terror threats.
The three men were reportedly trying to escape their captors in northern Gaza and holding a white flag when they were shot dead by IDF soldiers.
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On Friday evening, the streets of Tel Aviv were taken over by protesters marching to share their anguish and fury over the deaths.
Scenes appeared to show the families of Hamas hostages blocking the city's main roads with banners to mourn and call for the return of Israelis trapped in Gaza.
Demonstrators also spilled red paint in the street to symbolise the blood of hostages, reports.
Cries of "deal, now!" and the release of "all of them - now!" rang out as the hours-long protest took place.
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IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said the army expressed "deep sorrow" and was investigating the incident.
It is also understood the trio was holding white cloth on a stick, symbolising a white flag, when they were accidentally killed, reports.
After the fatal shooting, the bodies of the dead Israeli hostages were examined at the Deer Centre in Shura camp.
One of them was identified as Samar Fouad Talalka, 25, who was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists from Kibbutz Nir Am hatchery on October 7.
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Samar was reportedly working on a farm field when the terrorists wounded him before taking him to Gaza.
Another hostage was identified as Yotam Haim, 28, who was abducted from Kibbutz Kfar Aza on the same day.
Yotam was a talented drummer in a heavy metal band who vanished from his home after Hamas fighters attacked his neighbourhood.
He was last seen in a video he took on the morning of October 7, showing himself at the front door of his home, according to his mother Iris Haim.
In a series of harrowing messages sent to his family, he warned that his kibbutz was under attack and he was holed up in a safe room.
Footage captured on his phone shows panic in his neighbourhood as gunshots ring out and he rushes to lock himself inside.
A second video shows nothing but darkness as more menacing shots are fired one after the other.
In the panicked messages that follow, he says that Hamas fighters are looting his home and have made holes in his shelter door.
The last text Yotam sent to his family was: "Please, They're here".
He was later confirmed to be one of 240 Israeli hostages kidnapped by Hamas and dragged into Gaza during a day of violence that shocked the world.
Previously, The Sun exclusively spoke to Yotam's mother Iris Haim, who said the drummer was in touch with her just moments before he was abducted.
She said: "I just woke up for the boom and the very, very strong bombing we are used to that.
"Unfortunately, we live in an area that suffers a lot of bomb attacks and we know that sometimes it can happen, but it was very intense.
"My son started to message and informed us that there are some people wounded in my kibbutz, but nobody can help them.
"He filmed this video that there are terrorists in the kibbutz and we heard gunshots.
"Around 10 o'clock we understood it's, it's very very frightening because he started to write to us that he cannot go out of his room.
"...There's terrorists outside shooting people that they are shooting in his room."
Iris said they tried to calm Yotam in their family group chat before the messages went silent.
She added: "I don't remember exactly the last words, but...in the last message was that he is afraid he said to us, I love you. I don't know if I will survive that...I want to tell you that I love you."
The third man killed was 26-year-old Alon Shamriz.
According to The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, he was part of the Shaar Hanegev basketball team, and was set to begin computer engineering studies before cruel Hamas terrorists kidnapped him on October 7.
IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: "The IDF expresses deep sorrow for the incident and shares in the grief of the families.
"The messages were delivered to their families by representatives of the IDF and the Israel Police.
"The IDF began investigating the incident immediately. This is a combat zone where there have been many incidents in recent days.
"Immediate lessons from the event are now being passed on to all the fighting forces in the field.
"Israeli forces will continue to act in all efforts to return the abductees home."
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Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called the incident“an unbearable tragedy”.
He said: "I bow my head in deep sorrow and mourn the fall of three of our dear sons who were kidnapped... My heart goes out to the grieving families in their difficult time."
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