The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has acknowledged its failure to protect the residents of Kibbutz Be’eri during Hamas’ devesatting massacre on October 7.

According to the IDF, Be’eri was attacked at around 7 a.m. local time on that tragic day, with Hamas terrorists controlling the kibbutz for approximately four hours. The military had trained only for isolated infiltrations, leaving no additional reserve forces in the area that could have been deployed to Kibbutz Be’eri when the attack began.

Despite a local emergency team providing updates, the IDF struggled to create a clear situational assessment of the carnage happening in the kibbutz. Sadly, during the initial hours of the attack the IDF did not provide sufficient warning to the residents of Kibbutz Be’eri about the infiltration of terrorists.

When IDF units eventually arrived in the afternoon, they were in complete disarray to respond effectively. This led to several incidents where security forces grouped at Be’eri’s entrance without immediately engaging in combat.

The turning point came only when a senior officer was appointed to coordinate forces in the area, leading to the regaining of operational control of the kibbutz. By 4:15 p.m., the 99th Division had established itself at Be’eri and began organizing command and control. By 6 p.m., approximately 700 IDF soldiers and security forces were operating in the area.

By the time the kibbutz was cleared, the damage had already been done with 101 people killed and 30 others taken hostage. Survivors of the attack were presented with the IDF report earlier Thursday.

“Members of Kibbutz Be’eri did not need the results of the investigation to feel the failure of the IDF that morning,” Be’eri spokesperson Michal Paykin said. “The failure of the army has been burned into our bodies and in our hearts for nine months.”