Israel military says soldiers mistakenly killed three Israeli hostages in Gaza City

The Israel military said Friday it mistakenly killed three Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip.

The army’s chief spokesman said Israeli troops found the hostages during a ground operation and mistakenly identified them as a threat, according to the Associated Press. 

Whether they had already escaped their captors remains unclear. 

The incident occurred in the Gaza City area of Shijaiyah, where Israelis troops in recent days have engaged in heavy fighting with Hamas militants.