The mother of an Israeli hostage mistakenly killed by IDF soldiers has said that she and her family love them and does not blame them for his death.
Yotam Haim was among three hostages mistaken for terrorists and accidentally killed by the IDF in Gaza earlier this month.

Yotam and two other hostages approached a group of IDF soldiers, seeking to be rescued in Gaza City’s Shejaiya neighbourhood but the soldiers fired as they came near, killing all three.
Now his mother Iris recorded a message on Wednesday for the soldiers who killed him by accident. 

Addressing soldiers of the Bislamach Brigade’s 17th Battalion, Iris said: “I wanted to tell you that I love you very much, that I hug you here from afar, and I know that what happened is not your fault at all. I ask you to take care of yourself”.

She said the soldiers "are doing the best thing in the world that can help us, as the people of Israel. We all need you healthy”.

Iris also asked the soldiers not to hesitate, adding: “If you see a terrorist, don’t think you killed a hostage on purpose. You need to protect yourself because that’s the only way you can protect us."
She also invited the battalion to visit her family home, saying: "At the first opportunity, you are invited to come to us... we want to see you with our eyes, hug you, and tell you, as painful and sad as it is to say such a thing, that you probably did the right thing in that moment. None of us are judging you, nor are we angry.”

Yotam, 28, was kidnapped by Hamas on October 7 from his home in Kfar Aza. He was a talented drummer who loved to cook.

During the Hamas attack, he wrote to his family WhatsApp group: "They are taking everything from me, they are burning my house, I hope to survive."

Iris travelled to London in November to appeal for the release of her son.