A months-long investigation has determined that six Israeli hostages whose bodies were recovered from a Hamas tunnel in Gaza during a special military operation this summer did not die as a result of an IDF airstrike; they were murdered by their captors.
The investigation into the deaths in an underground tunnel in the Khan Younis area of Gaza of hostages Yagev Buchshtab, Alexander Dancyg, Avraham Munder, Yoram Metzger, Nadav Popplewell, and Haim Perry, may their memory be a blessing, was concluded Wednesday by IDF Chief of General Staff, LTG Herzi Halevi and presented to the victims’ families.
The investigation was conducted by the Southern Command, the Hostages and Missing Persons Headquarters, the Intelligence Directorate, and operational commanders from the Israeli Air Force who examined the circumstances of the hostages’ deaths and the preceding events.
“On February 14th, 2024, a precise strike was carried out by IAF jets on an underground site belonging to Hamas’ Khan Yunis Battalion in western Khan Yunis, targeting senior battalion-level commanders.
“On August 20th, 2024, the bodies of the six hostages, along with the bodies of six Hamas terrorists, were recovered from an underground tunnel near the site of the strike,” the IDF noted.
The pathological examination found indications of gunshots on the bodies of the hostages, while no gunshot wounds were found on the bodies of the terrorists. But due to the extensive time that had passed, it was not possible to determine with complete certainty the precise cause of death of the hostages or the exact timing of the gunfire.
“It is highly probable that their deaths were related to the strike near the location where they were held,” the IDF said. “According to the most plausible scenario, the terrorists shot the hostages close to the time of the strike. However, it is also possible that the hostages were shot by other terrorists post-mortem; it is even possible that the hostages were killed prior to the strike in the area.
“At the time of the strike, the IDF had no information, not even a suspicion, that the hostages were in the underground compound or its vicinity. Had such information been available, the strike would not have been carried out,” the IDF emphasized.
The investigation revealed that the strike was preceded by the required planning and approval processes in accordance with the protocols at the time. Since the IDF had no intelligence or suspicion regarding the presence of hostages at or near the strike location, the operation did not require approval from the Hostages and Missing Persons Headquarters.
“Following this tragic event, it was decided that any strike meeting specific criteria must be approved by the Headquarters,” the IDF said.
In the months following the strike, intelligence analysis conducted by the Hostages and Missing Persons Headquarters identified the location where the hostages’ bodies were being held. The bodies were subsequently recovered by IDF and ISA forces and were brought to Israel for burial.
The Chief of the General Staff, presented with the findings of the investigation, emphasized the moral obligation toward the hostages’ families and the necessity for operational learning.
Halevi determined that the IDF and Shin Bet had no intelligence regarding the presence of hostages in the area, and that, had such information been available, the strike would not have been carried out.
“In this prolonged war, which began on a very difficult day, the mission of returning the hostages alive accompanies us at every moment,” Halevi said. “We are making every effort to bring them back.
“We have made significant achievements, but it is small so long as there are other hostages. The IDF is confident that the combat advances their return, but in the context of combat we have also made mistakes – we are not able to bring these hostages home alive.
“It is important for the families of the hostages and the entire public to know that thousands of soldiers and commanders are working to succeed and avoid mistakes in this critical mission. Every mistake that occurred was due to lack of knowledge, and we are committed to learning from these mistakes.”
The IDF added that it “shares in the grief of the families for their profound loss,” and is continuing its efforts to fulfill the paramount national mission of bringing all of the hostages home.
