JERUSALEM — The Israeli military on Thursday acknowledged a series of errors in its response to the deadly Hamas attacks on October 7, including slow response times and disorganization, as it published the results of its first investigation into failures during the attack that sparked the war. in Gaza. .
The report focused on the border community of Be’eri, where Hamas killed more than 100 people and took more than 30 hostage. He was among the most affected communities in the early morning attack, and was the scene of one of the highest-profile clashes of October 7: a confrontation in which militants held a group of hostages inside a house.
“The military failed in its mission to protect the residents of Kibbutz Be’eri,” the military’s top spokesman, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, said in a televised address. “It’s painful and difficult for me to say that.”
During the confrontation, a tank fired on the house, raising concerns that the 13 hostages inside had been killed by fire friend. The military concluded that they were likely killed by Hamas militants, not by Israeli bombing, although it was unclear how they reached that conclusion, and the report called for additional evidence. The military said the kibbutz was overrun by about 340 Hamas fighters.
Investigators “determined that, based on the information reviewed and to the best of their knowledge, no civilians inside the building were injured by tank fire,” the report said, although it said two Israeli civilians were hit by shrapnel outside the building. building. of those civilians died, according to the man’s wife.
He also said commanders at the scene made “professional and responsible decisions” in ordering the tank attack. He said there was a joint decision by several commanders after hearing gunshots inside the house and militants saying they planned to kill the hostages and commit suicide.
“The team determined that most of the hostages were likely killed by terrorists,” the report said.
The report also noted delays of several hours in the arrival of military forces and said that the forces waited outside the kibbutz until the afternoon while they killed residents, without understanding the seriousness of the situation.
“This situation is extremely serious and cannot happen,” he said.
The report praised “the bravery of Be’eri residents and members of the kibbutz’s civilian rapid response team,” saying it was “crucial in stabilizing the defensive line during the first hours of combat.”
The Israeli military has come under heavy criticism from Palestinians and human rights groups, who say its research They rarely result in punishment.
Kibbutz residents gave the report a mixed reception, expressing anger at the army’s failures that day but also thanking it for taking responsibility.
Meir Zarbiv, a resident whose brother and sister were killed on October 7, called the report a “hoax” by the military. “I don’t believe the report and I don’t believe anything in it,” he said.
He said he still cannot understand the delays in arriving and entering the kibbutz. “I just don’t believe what happened here. “I have no explanation,” she said. “Where was the army?”
In a statement, the community called the investigation “thorough” and said it helped them understand the complexity of the fighting that day.
“We consider it of great importance that the military accept blame and responsibility for its total failure to protect us and apologize for abandoning us for many hours during an attack of unparalleled evil,” he said.
The kibbutz also called for an official state commission of inquiry into the broader failures of October 7 “so that the unimaginable loss we experienced will never be experienced by any other citizen.”
The surprise cross-border attack killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took another 250 hostage, in the deadliest attack in Israel’s 76-year history. The attack, in which several thousand militants stormed across the border without resistance, revealed serious deficiencies in the military’s preparedness, its intelligence assessments, and the policies set by political leaders toward Gaza.
An Israeli offensive launched in response to the attack has killed more than 38,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities, displaced more than 80% of the territory’s population and caused a humanitarian disaster in Gaza. Israel now faces accusations of war crimes and genocide in international courts.
The military has launched multiple investigations into the October 7 failures and the head of military intelligence has resigned. Several other commanders have apologized and taken responsibility for their failures.
But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected repeated calls for an official state investigation, even as the war enters its 10th month.
Netanyahu has said an investigation cannot take place while the country is focused on its war against Hamas and says all questions will be answered at the appropriate time. But critics accuse the Israeli leader of dragging his feet to avoid what will almost certainly be harsh criticism of his policies and leadership.
At a military ceremony on Thursday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the time has come to launch a state commission of inquiry to examine the country’s leadership. “He has to control me, the Minister of Defense. He needs to control the prime minister.”
In the face of fierce international criticism, Netanyahu has vowed to continue the war until Hamas’s military and governance capabilities are destroyed and the approximately 120 hostages remaining in Gaza return home. Tens of thousands of Israelis have taken to the streets in weekly protests calling on Netanyahu to reach an immediate ceasefire, saying time is running out to bring the hostages home safely.
International mediators have launched renewed efforts to negotiate a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Netanyahu announced Thursday that he would send a team of negotiators to Cairo to continue ceasefire talks, but reiterated his stance that he will not stop the war until Israel achieves its war goals.
He was interrupted by boos at the same military ceremony when he promised to continue the war “until victory, even if it takes time.”
As he spoke, a small crowd began chanting “shame.”
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Associated Press writers Tia Goldenberg and Isaac Scharf contributed to this report.
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