Two years after the shooting incident in which the three hostages Yotam Haim, Alon Shamriz, and Samer Talalka, of blessed memory, were killed, new claims have emerged from the families regarding the conduct of the battalion commander, Lt. Col. D., who was in command at the scene during the incident in the Shejaiya neighborhood of Gaza.
Military correspondent Doron Kadosh reported this morning on IDF Radio that according to testimony from an officer who was present, after the initial gunfire that struck Alon and Samer, Yotam Haim attempted to flee while wounded. The officer approached the battalion commander, who was positioned on the rooftop of a building, and told him, “I think this is one of ours - he’s speaking fluent Hebrew.” Despite this warning, the conduct of the forces on the ground was not adjusted accordingly.
Although the battalion commander ordered a “cease fire” and issued a “Zambiya” command - meaning a halt to all noise at the scene - a nearby tank did not shut down its engine. A soldier from the tank later testified that due to the noise, the order was not heard. Lt. Col. D. did not halt the management of the incident or ensure that his orders were clearly heard and implemented.
As a result, when the battalion commander called out to Yotam Haim, “Come toward me,” Yotam ran toward the forces and was fatally shot by two soldiers at the scene. According to the findings of the investigation, the battalion commander did not ensure that the forces were aware of the victim’s identity or of the orders that had been given, despite conditions that made communication in the area particularly difficult.
Members of Yotam Haim’s family say that Lt. Col. D. never contacted them after the incident, did not apologize, and did not initiate a meeting with them. “He only met with us a year and a half later, when the IDF presented the completed findings of the investigation,” the family said. Now, following the decision to appoint him as operations officer of the Gaza Division, the family has appealed to IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, demanding that the appointment be halted.
In response, the IDF Spokesperson stated: “Lt. Col. D. is a combat commander who over the past two years has led hundreds of soldiers under his command as commander of two different battalions, under fire and while risking his life. He is a values-driven, professional, and upright commander who works tirelessly and devotes his life to the security of the State of Israel. The investigation in question concluded approximately two years ago, and its findings were presented to the families and to the public with full transparency.”