Israel: 'Execution' Recording of Kidnapped Settler Teenagers' Emergency Call Emerges Online [GRAPHIC CONTENT]

Israel dead teens funeral — Bat-Galim, Ofir and Shirel Shaer, parents and sister of one of three Israeli teens who were abducted and killed in the occupied West Bank, sit next to the Israeli flag-covered body of Gil-Ad, 16, during a memorial service. Reuters

As the funerals of three teenagers who were abducted and murdered while hitch-hiking in the occupied West Bank were held in Israel, a chilling audio recording of the phone call to a police hotline by one of the terrified teenagers has emerged online.

In the audio, a voice of one of the abductees is heard saying "I have been kidnapped", followed by screams. The kidnappers can be heard yelling at teens to put heads down before loud noises - believed to be gun shots - ring out. The operator tries to talk with the caller but receives no answer. The recording was considered a prank call by the police, delaying the start of the search by several hours.

The call was made by 16-year-old Gilad Shaar one of the abducted teens, at 10:25 p.m. on June 12, the night of the kidnapping. The kidnappers allegedly realised that the call was being made and shot the three teens dead in the backseat of the car.

According to a report drafted by an investigative committee, the call was transferred to a senior officer who continued to ask questions but received no reply. The officer tried to call the number eight more times but received three busy signals and reached voicemail five times. Then, she did not pass on the information to her superiors.

Four senior police officers have been immediately dismissed after the initial investigation for lack of professionality.

The IDF discovered the corpses of 16-year-olds Naftali Frenkel, Gilad Shaar and 19-year-old Eyal Yifrach near the village of Halhul, north of Hebron, not far from where they disappeared on 12 June.

The three bodies were found on June 30 in a shallow grave dug by their abductors in a valley between Beit Khalil and Halhul. According to Ynetnews.com, the boys were shot shortly after their kidnapping.

Israel has accused Hamas of abducting the teens, who disappeared while hitchhiking at night from the Jewish settlement of Gush Etzion.

Premier Netanyahu said: "Hamas is responsible and Hamas will pay." Hamas has denied any involvement.

Speaking at the joint funeral held for the three friends in central Israel, Mr Netanyahu said "a broad moral gulf separates us from our enemy. They sanctify death, we sanctify life".

Israel launched a wide-range operation in the West Bank to find them. More than 400 people, most said to be members of Hamas, were arrested and more than 1,300 sites were searched.

The massive manhunt exacerbated tension in the region and six Palestinians have been so far killed in clashes with Israeli forces.