The families of Yotam Haim and Alon Shamriz, who were mistakenly killed by Israeli troops in Gaza, are calling for the halt of a battalion commander's promotion. Iris Haim, Yotam's mother, criticized the decision, citing discrepancies in the officer’s statements to the family and his brigade commander.
“We urgently need the appointment of that battalion commander to be stopped,” Iris Haim said in an interview. “No investigation was conducted into his conduct. The facts are not fully known. He admitted to negligence, and they’re still promoting him.”
Yotam Haim, Alon Shamriz, and Samer Talalka were killed on December 15, 2023, when Israeli troops mistakenly opened fire on the three captives in Gaza’s Shuja’iyya neighborhood, believing them to be terrorists. The military completed its investigation into the incident in December 2025.
Jonathan Shamriz, Alon’s brother, also expressed his outrage over the promotion of the battalion commander. “The day before we visit Alon’s grave, the IDF announces the promotion of the officer who ‘managed’ the operation. This is the story of what we’ve become,” Jonathan said. “On one side, my brother Alon, a fearless hero who endured hell for 65 days and led one of the world’s boldest missions. And on the other side, a commander who failed three times in 15 minutes. A commander who didn’t instruct his soldiers properly and failed to stop the shooting. He didn’t take responsibility, and now, instead of being held accountable, he’s being promoted. This is an insult to my family and to Alon’s grave.”
Iris Haim also expressed frustration over the promotion, questioning how an officer who made such critical errors could be rewarded. “If you had doubts, why didn’t you stop the shooting? How are you going to become the operations officer for all of southern Israel?” she asked.
The IDF defended the officer, stating he is a professional, experienced commander who has led troops under difficult conditions, emphasizing his dedication to Israel's security.
However, the Haim and Shamriz families maintain that the investigation is incomplete and are calling for full accountability. They continue to demand that those responsible for the tragic deaths take responsibility for their actions.