JERUSALEM, Israel – At a hotel by the Dead Sea where evacuated residents of Kibbutz Be’eri are staying, the IDF admitted to them that it failed to protect them on October 7th. They also commended the community’s own security team for defending the kibbutz and preventing the terrorist invasion from spreading further.
The Israeli military has released an investigation into its own conduct and failures at Kibbutz Be'eri on October 7th when Hamas slaughtered more than a hundred Israelis living there.
As IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari summed it up, “That day the IDF failed in its mission to protect the citizens of Israel."
Hagari also stated, "We were not prepared for the murderous Hamas terror attack involving thousands of terrorists who infiltrated the country at dozens of points simultaneously and began a killing spree, massacre, and abduction in the southern communities and IDF military outposts."
IDF Waited Outside Kibbutz Be'eri While Terrorists Rampaged Inside
Terrorists killed Meir Zarbiv's brother and sister at Kibbutz Be'eri October 7th. He's furious at IDF forces for not quickly charging into the kibbutz that day to stop the terrorists' brutal attack.
He explained, "The terrorists broke into the kibbutz at 6:30 in the morning and around, I think, 10 to 10:30, (IDF) forces arrived at the entrance of the kibbutz and they were asked to enter. They didn’t want to enter. They said that they weren’t given the order to enter."
Zarbiv doesn't trust the army's report because the IDF was investigating itself.
"I think this report is simply a deception," he complained. "The army made it and not the police and not the state. The army made it. Because of that, I don't believe it."
Defense Minister & Prime Minister Disagree on National Probe
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the idea of an official government probe into October 7th during an ongoing war that requires national unity. But Thursday, his own military chief called for just such an investigation.
“We require a probe at the national level, a probe that will clarify the facts," stated Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, addressing a military graduation ceremony.
And Gallant insists neither he nor Netanyahu be spared by such a probe, saying, “It needs to check me, minister of defense. It needs to check the prime minister."
General Framework for a Deal Worked Out, But Not the Details
As for the war in Gaza, the Washington Post reports both Hamas and Israel have agreed to the broad outline of a hostage release and ceasefire deal. But the devil's in the details, many of which still need to be worked out.
Joe Biden revealed he and American negotiators are heavily involved, and he stated, “I’m determined to get this deal done and bring an end to this war, which should end now.”
Until then, Netanyahu insists the IDF keep attacking hard. He insisted, “The way to release our hostages is to continue pressuring Hamas with all our might."
One breakthrough is both sides have agreed neither Hamas nor the Israeli military will be in charge of Gaza while a final peace deal is worked out.
It would instead be governed by a force of Palestinian Authority supporters trained by the U.S. and backed by moderate Arab governments.
In northern Israel, a 33-year-old soldier, Master Sgt. (res.) Valeri Chefonov, was killed Thursday by a drone strike from Hezbollah in Lebanon, bringing the total of IDF deaths to 682 in the Swords of Iran War.
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