Key takeaways:
- John Kirby, the National Security Council Spokesman, said the deaths of the three hostages were “heartbreaking” and “tragic.”
- Kirby said it was not clear if the hostages had escaped their captors or been abandoned.
- Kirby urged against making “broad judgement” until the investigation is complete.
The White House security adviser has warned against making “broad judgement” over the deaths of three Israeli hostages who were mistakenly killed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in the Gaza Strip.
John Kirby, the National Security Council Spokesman, said the deaths of the three hostages were “heartbreaking” and “tragic.” The Israeli military announced the deaths on Friday, saying they had mistakenly identified the hostages as a threat.
Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the army’s chief spokesman, said the army expressed “deep sorrow” and was investigating the incident. Kirby said that President Biden has not yet had a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about this incident, but that he has been briefed by his security team.
The deaths occurred in the Gaza City area of Shijaiyah, where troops have been engaged in fierce battles against Hamas militants in recent days. As the deaths were announced, U.S. envoy Hady Amr said the U.S. and Israel were discussing a timetable for scaling back intense combat operations in the war against Hamas, even though they agree the overall fight will take months.
Kirby said it was not clear if the hostages had escaped their captors or been abandoned. He said the Israeli government will investigate the incident and urged against making “broad judgement” until the investigation is complete. He said the White House is “deeply saddened” by the deaths and will continue to monitor the situation.
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