The IDF Spokesperson's Unit announced that the presentation of the operational inquiry regarding the battle at Kibbutz Be'eri was completed today. The findings were presented to the members of the Be'eri community, the families of the hostages abducted from Kibbutz Be'eri, and the bereaved families. The inquiry was summarized by the Chief of the General Staff LTG Herzi Halevi and was subsequently presented to the Minister of Defense, Mr. Yoav Gallant.
The inquiry team determined that the IDF failed in its mission to protect the residents of Kibbutz Be'eri. However, the bravery of the Be'eri residents and the members of the kibbutz's civilian rapid response team is commendable and was crucial in stabilizing the defensive line during the first hours of combat, preventing the attack from spreading to other parts of the kibbutz.
In the attack on the kibbutz, 101 civilians were killed, and 30 hostages from Kibbutz Be’eri and two additional hostages were abducted and taken into Gaza, 11 of whom are still being held in Gaza. The security forces who fought in the area operated with great bravery and heroism. During the battle, 31 security personnel fell, including 23 IDF soldiers and members of the civilian rapid response team and eight officers of the Israel Police. Many soldiers and civilians were also injured.
The findings reveal that approximately 340 terrorists infiltrated the kibbutz, including about 100 Nukhba terrorist operatives of Hamas, who carried out murderous massacres, abductions of hostages, looting, and other brutal crimes. According to updated estimates from the inquiry team, about 100 terrorists were eliminated within the kibbutz. The houses in the kibbutz sustained heavy damage, and the recovery process for the kibbutz is expected to take a long time.... Read More: Arutz-7