IDF investigation revealed that Israeli forces had shelled the kibbutz for hours during the Hamas attack on October 7

The Israeli military waived its disaster review to provide protection to civilians in Berri, one of the hardest-hit areas in the conflict since Hamas’ October 7 attack, where more than 100 people were killed and dozens taken hostage. was taken. An attack that destroyed much of the kibbutz.

Israeli forces “failed in their mission” to protect the kibbutz, according to the internal investigation and the filing released Thursday. A few miles from the border with the Gaza Strip as a result of serious mistakes in Israel’s response to the multi-pronged attack.

The investigation revealed that Israeli forces were unprepared for a “comprehensive infiltration situation” led by the current terrorist group and The most effective experts were for the possibility of free infiltration.

This is despite reports that the Israeli military had reviewed detailed outlines of Hamas’s plans months before the attack. Initial blackmail of army analysts regarding the ultimatum has been pushed aside.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been defiant throughout the conflict amid demands for accountability and a growing body of evidence that his government ignored or omitted crucial blackmail about Hamas plans.

He has also refused the demands a whole Environmental investigation of Israel’s failures in the event of the October 7 attacks.

Since the troops were unprepared for an attack like that of 7 October, the investigation revealed that “there were no additional reserve forces in the area” for Berry to send.

As the militants stormed their way to Shakha, civilians were left to fend for themselves for hours; According to Israeli officials, 101 people were killed and at least 30 were taken hostage in the branch.

“We commend the army for taking responsibility and admitting its catastrophic failure to protect us,” Kibbutz Bari noted in a comment based on the IDF’s file. “We are grateful for their apology for leaving us for so many hours while we were subjected to sustained and vicious attacks.”

“Although the investigation is a step towards answers, important questions remain unanswered,” it says, “such as why the army present at the entrance of the kibbutz did not enter the kibbutz despite our desperate appeals for rescue.”

‘They left us to die’

Survivors of the attack on Berri reported that, according to interrogations, more than 300 militants tried to hide in their homes for hours to reach their loved ones, flooding the kibbutz, causing homes and buildings to burn to the ground. And the smell of death started coming. Hanging in the air.

“They left us to die,” Liel Fishbien, a Berei resident, told NBC News about Israeli forces shortly after the attack.

More than nine months later, on Friday, he said that although he appreciated the findings of the investigation, “I know they failed. It’s not new to me that they failed.”

“Certainly taking responsibility is noteworthy, but I would be more supportive of them doing what they have learned to make sure this doesn’t happen again,” he said.

The investigation found that not only was the IDF unprepared for such an attack, but it “struggled to form a clear and accurate situational assessment” of the attack in Berri that morning and was only beginning to understand the reality. Despite the community’s own emergency team providing an updated assessment earlier in the day, the situation deteriorated later that afternoon.

The investigation found that even when security forces arrived at the entrance to the kibbutz, they were scattered or failed to engage in combat amid conflicting commands.

Some were following orders to “wait for civilians to evacuate.” Others were fighting, then exited the kibbutz in response to a command decision, while some waited for a force commander and others remained outside the community to establish a perimeter.

“This lack of line has been a feature of several conflict issues during October 7 and is being examined more recently as part of an overall investigation,” the report said.

‘Operational Errors’

The investigation further found that “there were instances where IDF soldiers behaved inappropriately in their conduct toward civilians,” particularly in the protection provided to residents evacuated from the area and “in the provision of basic needs by security forces.” ” The statement did not go into further detail about the documented inappropriate conduct.

However, the inquiry cleared the commanders and forces of wrongdoing in an incident that led to speculation that the hostages were killed by Israeli army tank fire.

The report said security forces decided to break into a house to rescue 13 hostages after hearing gunshots and that the militants “communicated their intention to commit suicide and kill the hostages.”

It said the tank fire towards the area near the house was carried out in a “professional manner” following a joint decision taken by commanders of all security organizations to put pressure on the terrorists and “save the hostages”.

The investigation team determined that no civilians inside the building were harmed by tank shells, except for an isolated incident outside the building in which two civilians were injured by shrapnel. IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said separately that “it is very likely that one of them would have died because of this.”

It was not immediately clear what precise information led investigators to that conclusion, but the team determined that “many of the hostages were likely murdered by terrorists,” though it added that further questioning and additional findings were needed. Review was necessary.

Since early October, the Israeli military has faced scrutiny over its response to the Hamas attack, with questions raised over whether civilians may have been killed in the military’s frantic response.

Asked by NBC News at a media briefing in late October, during which footage of the October 7 attacks was played, whether it was possible that any civilians could have been caught in the crossfire of Israeli forces, IDF Major General Mickey Edelstein Said. It was possible that “mistakes” were made.

The investigation also sought to highlight “acts of heroism” and courage by Israeli forces as well as security personnel and kibbutz residents, despite “operational mistakes and errors in drive deployment”.

On Friday, the kibbutz said in a statement that many members of its community remained “refugees in our own country” after their homes were destroyed.

Fishbien, who lives in Jerusalem, said he would one day love to return to the restored Beri and “spend a month” there, but the possibility seemed out of reach. He said he no longer feels safe and does not trust that Israel’s leadership has “deeply engaged” on the lessons of October 7 and the ongoing war.

“I don’t see myself living there again,” he said.

The findings from the IDF investigation came as Israeli forces continued operations in the Gaza Strip, with fresh fighting in Gaza City as the army ordered residents to evacuate the area and head south.

Biden said Thursday that efforts to negotiate a ceasefire were making progress, but he said there were still “gaps” to be filled.