Israeli soldier killed was cousin of hostage mistakenly gunned down
An Israeli soldier killed this week in the Gaza Strip was a relative of one of the three hostages whom the Israel Defense Forces mistakenly gunned down after they escaped Hamas.
Capt. Shay Shamriz, 26, was killed along with two other soldiers, Master Sgt. Maor Lavi, 33, and Capt. Shaul Greenglick, 26, the Times of Israel reported.
Shamriz, a company commander in the Nahal Brigade, was a second cousin of Alon Shamriz, 26, who was killed in a friendly-fire incident after he and fellow captives Yotam Haim, 28, Samer Talalka, 22, were mistakenly shot by troops who mistook them for terrorists.
Shay was killed Monday along with the two reservists — Greenglick, a fellow member of the Nahal’s 931st Battalion, and Lavi, of the Bislamach Brigade’s 450th Battalion, according to the outlet.
The cousin, a professional solider, was first assigned to the IDF’s commando Duvdevan Unit, which conducts undercover operations in Palestinian areas, Ynet reported.
He was transferred to the Nahal Brigade after completing officer candidate school.
In a speech to his men before entering battles, Shamriz reportedly said: “In every generation, there have been people who stood up and said, ‘Here I am.’
“And they said, ‘We are the protectors of this people.’ We have the right to be warriors in a time of crisis, in a time of trial. These moments are difficult for the people of Israel, and they are very difficult,” he said.
“This group standing here is the protector of the people of Israel and whoever dares to harm our country, our people, is going to pay big for it. Anyone who dares to raise their head will regret it,” the fighter added.
Before the three Israeli hostages were killed by the IDF, the terrorists who held them killed a military dog whose GoPro camera continued to operate and recorded the apparent voice of Alon Shamriz.
“Help!” he shouted in Hebrew, adding that there were other Israelis with him.
The three hostages emerged shirtless and waved a white flag as they approached Israeli soldiers, one of whom perceived them as a threat and opened fire against army regulations.
The three men had also used leftover food to write “SOS” and “Help, 3 hostages” on a white cloth they hung on a building in Gaza City’s Shejaiya neighborhood.
The video from the fallen animal was not being monitored live by the troops, who left the dog at the location while they engaged other targets and only later reviewed the footage.
IDF chief of staff Lt. Gen. Herzl Halevi ordered an investigation and new protocols were issued to soldiers for the possibility of additional hostages managing to flee captivity.
Monday’s deaths brought the number of Israeli troops killed since the start of the ground offensive to 161, officials said.
Some 1,200 people in Israel, most of them civilians, were massacred by Hamas and about 240 others were kidnapped. A recent cease-fire allowed for the release of over 100 hostages, but talks for a new deal have collapsed.
.
