Jerusalem: The Israeli military announced that, according to an internal investigation, three hostages were probably killed in November as a result of an air strike targeting a senior Hamas commander.

The investigation’s findings highlight the precarious circumstances of hostages in the Gaza Strip, who – like Palestinian civilians – are vulnerable to Israel’s ongoing military operations in the territory. The findings also suggest that senior Hamas officials, including Yahya Sinwar, the most powerful figure in the group, may surround themselves with hostages, as US and Israeli officials have said.

In its statement, the Israeli military said it was “highly likely” that the hostages, Corporal Nik Beizer, Sergeant Ron Sherman and Elia Toledano, were killed “as a result of a byproduct” of an Israeli military strike targeting Ahmed al-Ghandour, commander of Hamas’ military wing in northern Gaza.

The military said it was presenting “a high-probability assessment” based on where the hostages’ bodies were found in December, as well as intelligence materials, an analysis of the strike, pathological reports and the conclusions of forensic examiners. Definitively determining the cause of their deaths, the military said, was not possible.

“The IDF shares in the grief of the families over the devastating loss,” the military said.

The three slain hostages, the investigation indicated, were in a tunnel complex used by al-Ghandour, a top official whose death Hamas later acknowledged. The Israeli military said it had information at the time suggesting that the three hostages were in another place.

A group representing families of hostages said the investigation’s conclusions illustrated “the severe risk to the lives of the hostages in captivity”.

“Each passing moment endangers them further,” the Hostages Families Forum said in a statement. “We know the hostages are held in inhumane conditions, tortured by Hamas and deprived of basic human rights.”