The Media Line: IDF: Airstrike to Kill Hamas Commander Likely Caused Deaths of Israeli Hostages

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IDF: Airstrike to Kill Hamas Commander Likely Caused Deaths of Israeli Hostages

By The Media Line Staff

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced Sunday that an investigation found that three former hostages—Sgt. Ron Sherman, Cpl. Nik Beizer, and civilian Elia Toledano—were likely killed as a “byproduct” of an Israeli airstrike in Gaza, though the exact cause of death remains unclear. The airstrike, carried out on November 10, 2024, targeted Ahmed Ghandour, a Hamas commander, who was hiding in a tunnel in Jabaliya. The bodies of the three hostages were discovered near the site of the strike.

The IDF stated that while it is highly probable the three died as an indirect result of the airstrike, the precise circumstances could not be determined with certainty. Family members have speculated that the three might have suffocated or succumbed to carbon dioxide poisoning inside the tunnel following the strike. The military’s conclusions were based on the locations where the bodies were found, intelligence assessments, pathology reports, and findings from the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute.

At the time of the airstrike, the IDF said it had no intelligence indicating hostages were present in the area and was focused on another location believed to be their holding site. This lack of information has prompted criticism from the victims’ families, who have questioned how the military could have missed the possibility of hostages being used as human shields near a high-value target like Ghandour.

The deaths highlight the complexities and tragic human cost of the ongoing conflict. More than 90 hostages are still believed to be held in Gaza, and the incident underscores the challenges Israel faces in balancing military objectives with the safety of captives in a volatile war zone.