The Israeli military’s investigation says it ‘failed in its mission’ to protect southern Kibbutz Be’eri during the October 7 attack.

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An internal Israel Defense Forces (IDF) investigation into the October 7 disaster in securing the kibbutz of Beri found that Israeli forces “failed in their mission to protect residents” and were “unprepared for a wider infiltration scenario.” ” via Hamas that week, which concerned “multiple infiltration points by thousands of terrorists simultaneously attacking dozens of locations.”

Berri, located in southern Israel, was one of the hardest-hit communities in the October 7 attacks, when Hamas militants attacked a kibbutz, killing 101 civilians, including children. Thirty That week the family is kidnapped from the kibbutz.

The inquiry was told that the army was trained for free and clear infiltration. The investigation noted, “As a result, there were no additional reserve forces in the area that could be sent to Kibbutz Beeri.”

Responding to the investigation’s file, Lieutenant General of the Basic Workforce Herzi Halevi said it “clearly shows the magnitude of the failure and the scale of the disaster that has befallen the residents of the South who for many have risked their families with their bodies.” Protected.” For hours while the IDF was not there to protect them.

The investigation found that “the IDF struggled to conduct a clear and accurate situational assessment of what was happening in the kibbutz until the afternoon of 7 October,” despite the fact that the local crisis team had provided an updated review.

“The fighting in the area during the initial hours was characterized by lack of command and control, lack of coordination and lack of arrangement between various forces and units. “This led to several incidents where security forces gathered at the entrance of the kibbutz without immediately engaging in combat,” the file noted.

“The investigation found that security officials did not adequately warn residents of Kibbutz Beeri about the infiltration of terrorists during the initial hours of the terrorist attack,” the file reads.

The investigation concluded that the turning point came only when a senior official was appointed to coordinate forces in the department, leading to regaining operational control of the kibbutz.

“Despite operational errors and mistakes in the deployment of forces, the investigative team notes that the battle in Berei involved a series of acts of heroism and supreme courage by the fighting forces, commanders, and security personnel who fought in the kibbutz, killing many residents. Saved,” the file mentioned.

It additionally noted that “the bravery of the Berei residents and members of the kibbutz’s civilian rapid response team is commendable and vital in stabilizing the defensive line during the first hours of the battle, preventing the attack from spreading to other parts of the kibbutz.” Was. .”

The investigation also found that security forces fighting in the department “acted with great bravery and heroism.” It said 31 security personnel were killed in the department, after which about 340 militants infiltrated the kibbutz, killing about 100 of them.

At a briefing on Thursday, IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said more findings would be announced in the coming months. “This investigation is not the end of a process, but the beginning.”

The investigation team found that the attack on Berri began at approximately 7 a.m. on 7 October and that Hamas occupied the kibbutz for approximately 4 hours.

During this era, “the first IDF soldiers arrive, evacuate the killed, wounded, exit the kibbutz, and position themselves at the entrance of the kibbutz, engaging in combat with the militants who reach the gate. ”

By 4.15 pm, the 99th Section had established themselves on the kibbutz and began organizing command and regulation.

As of 6 p.m., “about 700 IDF soldiers and security forces are operating in the area of ​​the kibbutz,” the inquiry revealed.

Lieutenant General Halevi of the Basic Workforce recognized the findings of the investigation and said that “the IDF did not carry out its mission of protecting residents in the most serious manner and failed in its mission.”

Halevi said that “Since the afternoon, forces were waiting outside the kibbutz while the massacre continued inside. This situation is extremely serious and cannot continue.”

“The reasons for this were found to be that the commanders who arrived with the army entered the kibbutz with a part of the force to better understand the situation; Some forces did not initiate contact because they did not understand the seriousness of the situation and the lack of sufficient forces; Some of the people waiting outside were support forces providing a perimeter for those engaged in combat inside the kibbutz,” he said.

Regarding prioritizing the evacuation of wounded infantrymen, Halevi noted that civilian coverage was once a top priority project. “Troops should always give priority to assisting civilians in evacuation, defense and any other need that may arise in a war zone,” he said.

One by one, Halevi instructed at a convocation ceremony for key officers on Thursday that the IDF has worked with all allies “to understand in detail and in depth what happened and to prevent it from happening again in the future.” What should we learn?”

Be’eri Kibbutz survivors were introduced to the file’s findings last Thursday.

“It can be said that the investigation was intensive and provided little help to kibbutz members in understanding the depth and complexity of the fighting in different areas of the kibbutz,” Bari spokesman Michael Pekin said in a comment.

However he noted that some influential questions remain unanswered.

For example: When the kibbutz was burning and its residents were screaming for help, why did the military forces gathered at the gate not enter the kibbutz for several hours? “What caused the intelligence failure that enabled Hamas’s attack planning, and how was the border fence breached without an immediate response from the IDF?” He mentioned.

The individuals at “Kibbutz Beeri” that morning did not need the results of the investigation to realize the IDF’s failure. “The Army’s failure has been burning on our bodies and in our hearts for nine months,” the comment said.

The comment said Former Citizens is currently seeking the order of an investigation “to investigate the conduct of all parties and provide us with answers so we can begin to recover.”

“Finally, and most importantly, we demand we tackle the abandonment that is taking place across the border right now – abandoning hostages to their fate for nine months. The ongoing failure to return them to date must stop,” the comment concludes.

Speaking about the investigation ordered, Defense Minister Yoav Galant said at the officers’ convocation on Thursday: “This should investigate all of us: decision-makers and executive officers, the government, the military and security agencies, in this government. , and this includes the governments of the last decade that led to the events of October 7.”

Gallant said, “It should investigate me, the Defense Minister, it should investigate the Prime Minister, the Chief of Staff and the Shin Bet, the IDF and national bodies subordinate to the government.”

The charge should “investigate the intelligence and operational failure of the events of October 7”, as well as “errors made in assessing the enemy’s capabilities and warning of his intentions – which culminated in the October 7 attack,” regarding Gallant. Should study in. mentioned.

A focal point of the investigation into the events in Berri on 7 October was the attempt to rescue 13 families held hostage in an area of ​​the kibbutz.

There was speculation that the hostages were killed by Israeli military tank fire as they tried to gain access to the house, but the investigation found that Hamas operatives in the area most likely killed the hostages.

The investigation concluded, “After hearing gunshots from within the house and the terrorists communicating their intention to commit suicide and kill the hostages, security forces decided to break into the house in an attempt to rescue the hostages.” and conducted combat operations under difficult conditions.” ,

It noted that “commanders and forces took professional and responsible decisions, and made thorough negotiation efforts. The tank fire towards the area near the house was carried out in a professional manner, with the commanders of all security organizations taking a joint decision after careful consideration… with the intention of putting pressure on the terrorists and rescuing the civilians held hostage inside. From.

“The team determined that, based on the information reviewed and to the best of their understanding, no civilians inside the building were harmed by tank gunfire, except for an isolated incident outside the building where two civilians were injured by shrapnel. Injured,” it endured. “The team determined that most of the hostages were likely murdered by terrorists, and additional inquiries and review of additional findings are necessary.”

Regarding the findings, Halevi noted, “In such incidents, commanders on the ground must make difficult decisions with the goal of saving as many civilians as possible. The investigation revealed that this value guided the decision-making of commanders on the ground during this incident.

Hagari said Thursday that the IDF had been trying to negotiate with Hamas but had failed.

“After all efforts to negotiate the release of the hostages had been exhausted it was decided to make a rescue attempt amid the fire, and prolonged gunfire was heard from inside the house, raising suspicions that the hostages had been murdered.” Was going.” ,” He mentioned.