Israeli hostages killed mistakenly were holding white flag

Israeli forces in Gaza mistakenly killed three hostages who were holding up a white flag. The hostages were in an area of intense combat where Hamas militants operate and use deception tactics. The Israeli military fired upon the hostages, violating their own rules of engagement. The deaths of the hostages were called an “unbearable tragedy” by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and labeled a “tragic mistake” by the White House. Protests erupted in Tel Aviv in response to the incident.