SOS signs found on Gaza hideout of killed hostages, Israeli military says

Israel’s military said three hostages were shirtless, had raised white flag when they were shot by mistake

More than 100 Israeli hostages remain in Gaza, held incommunicado despite calls for Red Cross access

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Signs reading ‘Help, three hostages’ in Hebrew and ‘SOS’ found on a Gaza building where the three Israeli hostages had been hiding. Photo: Israel Defence Forces via Reuters

Published: 4:32am, 18 Dec 2023Updated: 4:38pm, 18 Dec 2023

Signs reading “SOS” and “help, three hostages” in Hebrew were found on the walls of a Gaza building where three Israeli hostages had been hiding before they were mistakenly killed, Israel’s military said on Sunday.

The military distributed photographs of the white cloth signs written in red, likely with leftover food. They were hung on a building about 200 metres from where the hostages were shot on Friday, military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said.

The Israeli military on Friday identified the three hostages killed in Shejaiya, an eastern suburb of Gaza City, as Yotam Haim and Alon Shamriz, abducted from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, and Samer al-Talalka, abducted from nearby Kibbutz Nir Am.

It said they had raised a white flag and were shirtless when shot, against Israel’s rules of engagement. Israel’s military chief told troops inside Gaza not to repeat that mistake.

The three hostages killed by mistake: Alon Shamriz, Samer Al-Talalka and Yotam Haim. Photos: AP

The Israeli military is investigating the deaths.