A grandmother taken captive in the course of the Oct. 7 assault on Israel most likely was killed when an Israeli helicopter, responding to the Hamas-led assault, fired on the automobile through which she was being held, Israel’s army stated on Friday.
The revelation in regards to the abduction of the grandmother, Efrat Katz, 67, got here on the identical day that Israeli army officers detailed failures that led to lethal airstrikes this week on a convoy of help staff in Gaza.
Ms. Katz’s kidnapping from Kibbutz Nir Oz on Oct. 7 was captured on video that confirmed her squashed behind a pickup truck alongside along with her daughter and two grandchildren.
The army stated Friday that an inquiry into air power actions on Oct. 7 because it responded to the assault discovered that “one of many fight helicopters that took half within the preventing fired at a automobile that had terrorists in it” — and that, “looking back,” additionally carried hostages.
“On account of the hearth, many of the terrorists manning the automobile had been killed, and more than likely, Efrat Katz was killed as effectively,” it stated in an announcement summarizing the inquiry’s findings.
The helicopter crew was not discovered to be at fault, the assertion added, as a result of hostages within the automobile would have been indistinguishable from the terrorists.
“It is a tragic and unlucky occasion that came about within the midst of preventing and circumstances of uncertainty,” the air power’s commanding officer, Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, stated.
Hamas and different armed Palestinian teams took greater than 200 individuals captive in the course of the Oct. 7 assault. About 100 hostages, most of them ladies and youngsters, had been launched throughout a cease-fire in November, and at the very least 30 others are believed to have died in captivity, in line with Israeli officers.
In December, the Israeli army stated its forces had mistakenly killed three hostages in Gaza. The incident brought on deep anguish in Israel, prompting calls for one more short-term truce and a deal to permit extra hostages to be launched. However diplomatic efforts to safe one other pause within the preventing have been stalled for months, whilst requires a cease-fire have mounted.
