Israel’s High Court of Justice on Sunday rejected a petition by the parents of Alon Shamriz Hy”d seeking to have their son recognized as a fallen IDF soldier after he was mistakenly killed by Israeli troops following his escape from Hamas captivity.

Shamriz was abducted from his home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza during the Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023, and taken to Gaza. In December 2023, he and two fellow hostages managed to escape captivity in Gaza City’s Shejaiya neighborhood but were tragically mistaken for a threat and shot dead by IDF forces operating in the area.

All three were officially recognized as victims of terrorism. However, Shamriz’s parents petitioned for their son to be recognized as a fallen IDF soldier, a designation that would have entitled him to burial in a military cemetery and granted them the status of bereaved military parents.

The family argued that Shamriz had received reserve duty orders on October 7 and, as an active reservist, would have reported for service had he not been kidnapped. They also pointed to the courage and military skills he displayed in escaping captivity alongside the two other hostages.

The High Court ruled that, under existing Israeli law, the IDF acted lawfully in denying the request. The justices said their role was limited to applying the law as written and that they had no legal authority to overturn the military’s decision.

“This ruling does not detract in any way from the profound appreciation due to the late Alon, who demonstrated extraordinary and exceptional courage under unimaginably difficult circumstances,” the court wrote.

“We join in honoring his memory and wish to express our condolences to the petitioners and to his family.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)