Gaza war: Israeli hostages killed mistakenly were holding white flag, official says

Three Israeli hostages killed mistakenly in Gaza by Israeli forces had been holding up a white flag, according to an initial inquiry into the incident, a military official said on Saturday.

The incident happened in an area of intense combat where Hamas operate in civilian attire and use deception tactics, the official said. The hostages were fired upon against Israel's rules of engagement, the official added.

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