Israeli captive deaths in Gaza linked to flawed intelligence: Report
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An Israeli security source revealed that flawed intelligence led to failed rescue attempts and the deaths of some Israeli captivesin Gaza, as airstrikes targeted inaccurate locations.
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Relatives and friends carry the body of Israeli captive Eitan Levi after his body was returned from Gaza as part of a ceasefire agreement at Bat Yam cemetery in Holon, occupied Palestine, on October 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
An Israeli security source revealed to Yedioth Ahronoth that intelligence regarding the locations of Israeli captives in Gaza was unreliable, casting doubt on the accuracy of operations aimed at retrieving them. According to the source, the intelligence provided was "not 100% accurate," and the locations of the captives often shifted, sometimes just minutes before airstrikes were launched.
This lack of precise information has reportedly resulted in the deaths of some captives during Israeli airstrikes, as their locations had changed or the intelligence had failed to reflect their real-time whereabouts.
The source emphasized that the occupation's military has carried out several attempts within the Gaza Strip over the past two years to locate and recover the prisoners. However, the dynamic nature of their detention sites has made such operations exceedingly difficult.
The Israeli military's strategy, relying heavily on aerial bombardments based on incomplete or outdated intelligence, has drawn internal criticism, especially as the consequences have led to the loss of Israeli captives during these missions.
Sayeret Matkal raid in Khan Younis ends in failure
One notable operation cited by the source involved a covert raid in Khan Younis, south of the Gaza Strip, carried out by the Sayeret Matkal unit. The special forces team reportedly infiltrated a house believed to be holding an Israeli captive.
According to the account, Hamas fighters responded rapidly to the infiltration, resulting in serious injuries among the Israeli force and the death of one of the captives. Hamas was able to retrieve the captive's body following the failed operation.
This incident highlights the ongoing challenges facing "Israel" in its attempts to recover captives held by Hamas in Gaza, where shifting conditions on the ground and limited intelligence continue to undermine military operations.
'Israel' killed tens of its own captives in war on Gaza
Earlier in March, a New York Times (NYT) report revealed that more than 40 Israeli captives held by Palestinian Resistance factions were killed in captivity by Israeli occupation forces since October 7, 2023. The analysis said 41 out of 251 Israeli soldiers and settlers captured by Hamas and other Palestinian Resistance groups were killed by "Israeli bombing and friendly fire."
"A few [captives] were almost certainly killed in the first days of the war, before it was possible to seal a truce. But many others have died since the brief first cease-fire collapsed in November 2023 and the fighting continued in a war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians," the report said.
"The corpses of 40 others have been returned to Israel in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees following ceasefire agreements in November 2023 and January of this year," it further highlighted.
The US daily's analysis was based on forensic reports, military investigations into the captives’ deaths, and interviews with over a dozen Israeli soldiers and officials, along with a senior official and seven relatives of the captives.
