Israeli troops killed 3 hostages by mistake

Soldiers fired after prisoners judged a threat

- CHRIS HUGHES

ISRAELI troops have killed three hostages in Gaza after mistaking them for Hamas terrorists.

Soldiers fired on them when they were wrongly identified as a threat.

IDF spokesman Rear Adm Daniel Hagari expressed his deep sorrow and said it was not clear if they had escaped captivity or were abandoned.

Two were named as Yotan Haim and Samer Talalka. The family of the third did not want their identity revealed.

The bodies have been returned to Israel.

A spokesman said: "Immediate lessons have been learned and passed to all troops in the field."