The family of an Israeli hostage who was gunned down by Israeli soldiers in Gaza say that they were not notified that an audio recording of him pleading for help had been leaked to the media.

Alon Shamriz, 26, was shot dead along with two other hostages, Yotam Haim, 28, and Samar Fouad Talalka, 24, after they had escaped their captors.

They were killed by Israeli forces as they approached them shirtless and waving a white cloth in the Gaza City neighbourhood of Shujaiya. A military spokesperson said that the men had been mistakenly identified as a threat.