A Hamas terrorist posing as an Israeli hostage attempted to deceive IDF soldiers during operations in the Gaza Strip on Monday night, according to the IDF.

The incident, first reported by Israel’s Channel 12 (N12), unfolded when troops spotted an individual waving a white flag and calling for help. Believing they may have encountered a captive, the soldiers immediately radioed for assistance.

“Extensive searches were conducted,” the IDF said in a statement cited by N12. “After no further findings were discovered, it was determined that the incident did not involve hostages but rather, most likely, the enemy.”

The attempted ruse comes against the backdrop of a deadly December 2023 incident in which three Israeli hostages — Yotam Chaim, Samer Talalka, and Alon Shamriz — were mistakenly killed by IDF fire in Gaza after escaping Hamas captivity.

Those hostages had raised a white flag, shouted in Hebrew, and stripped to the waist to demonstrate they carried no explosives. They were found near a building marked with the words “help” and “SOS,” where the IDF had also uncovered a message reading “three hostages – help” two days earlier. A probe determined the men were killed amid confusion during intense combat.

The IDF has repeatedly accused Hamas of using deceptive and unlawful tactics — including operating from within civilian areas and disguising fighters — to exploit the chaos of combat. Monday’s incident underscores fears that Hamas could attempt to manipulate the IDF’s sensitivity around hostages as the war grinds on.

The IDF said no soldiers were injured and no hostages were involved in the latest case.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)