‘They saved us’: kibbutz civilian security team fought off Hamas in fierce battle, says army probe

The brave actions of Kibbutz Erez’s civilian defence squad, reinforced by volunteers from neighbouring Kibbutz Or Ha’Ner, prevented a potential massacre when Hamas terrorists attempted to overrun the Gaza border community during the October 7, 2023, onslaught, according to a military investigation released Tuesday.

“Their brave fighting in the kibbutz prevented a massacre,” the Israel Defence Forces probe concluded, praising residents and civilian security team members who “demonstrated courage, determination to engage, and camaraderie” during hours of fierce combat against 15 to 20 infiltrating terrorists.

The investigation, conducted by Lt. Col. (res.) Israel Shitrit revealed that local security officers eliminated at least two terrorists at the kibbutz’s edge, while soldiers killed six more near the Gaza border fence. The remaining attackers apparently retreated to Gaza. One defender, Major (res.) Amir Manzhor Naim, a member of the local security team, was killed during the fighting, and several other civilians were wounded.

The battle began at 6:28 a.m., just one minute before Hamas launched over 1,000 rockets at Israel. An IDF company commander spotted two drones overhead and opened fire, downing one while the second struck his position. As air raid sirens wailed across southern Israel, Erez’s security coordinator, who was in Jerusalem that morning, immediately activated the community’s local defence team.

The kibbutz’s former security coordinator, who was present in the community, took command of the civil defence squad. Crucially, 12 of the kibbutz’s 16 assault rifles were stored in the homes of local security officers rather than in a central armoury, allowing immediate access to weapons when many other border communities faced delays in arming their defenders.

At 6:38 a.m., the area’s IDF company commander ordered a tank to position itself between the Gaza border fence and the kibbutz. The tank crew engaged the first wave of infiltrating terrorists, running over some attackers on motorcycles before being hit by anti-tank missile fire.

The most intense fighting erupted at 7:05 a.m. when civil defence squad members spotted several pickup trucks approaching the kibbutz’s back entrance. “Fierce fighting” ensued as terrorists disembarked and exchanged fire with the defenders at the rear gate.

During the prolonged battle, one security officer was wounded in the head by a grenade at 7:15 a.m. but continued fighting. Another was hit by gunfire at 7:40 a.m. and evacuated for medical treatment. The terrorists fired RPGs at kibbutz homes during the assault.

At 7:45 a.m., Naim was fatally wounded while fighting from a home’s yard near the back entrance. As the Erez defenders found themselves pinned down and running low on ammunition, reinforcements from Or Ha’Ner arrived at 8 a.m., followed by additional volunteers at 8:15 a.m.

The former Erez security coordinator organised a rescue mission to reach trapped civil defence squad members. Under heavy fire, the rescue team reached the embattled post at 8:45 a.m. and successfully evacuated the local security officers by 9 a.m.

After another RPG struck a house near the back entrance, injuring several defenders and civilians, the security officers regrouped and rescued the family living in the targeted home. The defenders then moved to the kibbutz’s perimeter fence, where terrorists had been spotted using drones.

During this final phase, terrorists managed to breach the fence using explosives and briefly enter the kibbutz before being repelled by the security officers. The fighting ended around 10:30 a.m.

“The IDF struggled until the afternoon to form a clear picture of events in Erez, while the local security team had a general understanding by morning,” the probe noted. A small paratroopers force finally arrived at 10:45 a.m., followed by Shin Bet officers at 1 p.m.

The investigation acknowledged that the IDF “failed in its mission to protect” Erez, primarily because the military was unprepared for such a widespread, simultaneous attack on multiple communities. However, it credited the tank deployment and Israeli Air Force strikes with disrupting terrorist plans and preventing larger infiltrations.

“Erez was infiltrated by terrorists during the onslaught, but was never conquered at any stage,” the investigation concluded, highlighting how civilian courage under fire saved their community from devastation.

Civilian security teams are trained in basic military and first aid skills, and are equipped with defensive gear and weapons to handle threats until official security forces arrive. Since October 7, frontline communities have been strengthening their teams.

Tuesday’s report is the latest in a series of detailed army probes — summaries of which have been released in recent weeks — of how some 5,000 terrorists from Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad managed to attack numerous Israeli communities and overrun the army’s border positions. The army’s chain of command broke amid the chaos and soldiers were outnumbered.

The investigations found that the army misunderstood Hamas’s intentions for years, and as October 7 approached, intelligence about the looming attack was misinterpreted. The military was also more focused on threats from Iran and its proxy, Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The IDF probes only deal with issues of operations, intelligence and command, not decisions made by the political echelon.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has resisted calls for a state commission of inquiry, saying he opposes a “politically biased” probe. Critics accuse Netanyahu of delaying the inquiry and trying to water down its mandate.

At least 1,180 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 55 remaining hostages, 33 are believed to be dead.