JERUSALEM, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Friday the findings of its investigation into the deaths of an Israeli mother and son during the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, concluding that they were likely killed by mistake in friendly fire.

The conclusions regarding the death of Dikla Arava and her son Tomer were drawn from a combination of evidence, including testimonies from soldiers and civilians present at the incident, the IDF noted.

The investigation revealed that on the morning of Oct. 7, Hamas militants seized their home in the village of Nahal Oz, and forced Tomer to move between neighboring houses, calling for residents to come outside.

After about an hour and a half, Tomer managed to escape and hide, but Israeli forces, engaged in six hours of combat in the village, mistakenly identified him as a suspicious figure and shot him dead.

Meanwhile, according to the investigation, the Hamas militants abducted Dikla, along with her partner and his two daughters, taking them in a vehicle towards Gaza.

According to the investigation, Israeli forces fired upon the vehicle from the rear, resulting in Dikla's death. After the shooting, Hamas militants abandoned the vehicle in the village, leaving Dikla's body behind. Enditem

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