The Israeli military mistakenly killed three hostages being held in Gaza by Hamas during an incident which is "under review", a military spokesperson said on December 15.

The military said the hostages were killed during combat with militants in Gaza and expressed its condolences to the families while saying there would be "full transparency" in the investigation into the incident, Reuters reports.

A statement from the military said that during an intense battle in Gaza it "identified three Israeli hostages as a threat". "As a result, the troops fired toward them and they were killed."

The military named the dead hostages as Yotam Haim who was kidnapped from Kibbutz Kfar, and Samer Talalka, who was abducted from Kibbutz Nir Am and Alon Shamriz who was taken from Kibbutz Kfar Aza. All were abducted by Hamas on October 7, it said.

The Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum, which represents the families of hostages, expressed its condolences and confirmed the names of the three hostages.

It said, "Yotam was a gifted musician and dedicated metal music fan who idolized the band Megadeth" and "Samer was an avid motorcyclist who loved to ride around the countryside and spend time with friends." The forum said "Alon's family and friends described him as a lover of life and a dedicated basketball fan."

In recent days Israel has engaged in intense battles with Hamas militants, who often wear casual civilian clothing, and on Wednesday announced its worst combat losses with 10 soldiers killed in 24 hours.