An IDF investigation into the murder of six hostages by Hamas terrorists in southern Gaza’s Rafah in August has found that the military did not have any concrete or real-time intelligence on the hostages being held there in the weeks before they were killed, but had general indications that Israeli abductees could be in the area.

It found that forces operated carefully due to such a possibility, though they assessed that no captives were being held in the area.

Hostages Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Ori Danino, Alex Lobanov, Carmel Gat, and Almog Sarusi were killed by their captors in a tunnel in Rafah’s Tel Sultan neighborhood on August 29, and were discovered by troops on August 31.

The findings of the probe were presented Tuesday to the families of the six slain hostages.

On August 27, the IDF rescued hostage Farhan al-Qadi from a tunnel in Tel Sultan. Al-Qadi had no information on other hostages in the area.

On August 29, at least two Hamas terrorists murdered the six hostages and left their bodies in the tunnel. The IDF believes that after spotting Israeli forces approaching the area, the terrorists guarding the hostages decided to execute them.

On August 30, the IDF said troops killed two Hamas gunmen who attempted to flee from the tunnel complex. The military believes these are likely to be the captors who murdered the six hostages.

On August 31, the IDF decided to briefly halt its activities in Tel Sultan as it held a fresh assessment on the possibility of hostages in the area. Later that day, the bodies of the six were found.

The IDF’s probe found that it was aware of possible hostages in the area, and despite the chance being seen as low, the military operated in a careful manner.

The IDF says it has drawn various conclusions from the incident, from the strategic to the tactical level, including regarding the army’s intelligence.

Ultimately, the military acknowledges it failed in its mission to bring those hostages back home alive.

The IDF probe also confirms that forensic findings located in the area of the tunnel indicate that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who was later killed in the area in October, was at the location at some point. The IDF was unable to confirm if he was in the tunnel at the same time the hostages were.

There have been reports that the six may have served as human shields for Sinwar until they were executed.

Several of the hostages attempted to fight off their killers and defend each other before being executed, their families were reportedly told by the Israel Defense Forces.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in response to the probe: “We share in the renewed pain of the families as they are presented with details from the harrowing and heartbreaking investigation. The investigation published this evening once again proves that military pressure kills hostages.”