Israeli army acknowledges failure to protect settlement during Oct. 7 attack

JERUSALEM

The Israeli army admitted on Thursday its failure to safeguard the Be’eri settlement near Gaza Strip during the Oct. 7, 2023 surprise attack by Hamas.

In a statement, the army said an investigation revealed the military was "not prepared for the extensive infiltration scenario" that unfolded on the day.

During the attack on the kibbutz, 31 security personnel were killed, including soldiers, members of the civilian rapid force, and police, and many others were injured, the report said. The attack also resulted in the death of 101 individuals, and capture of 32 others.

The probe showed that approximately 340 Palestinian fighters infiltrated the settlement, including around 100 members of the Hamas elite forces. Nearly 100 of them were killed during the attack.

Israel has killed more than 38,000 Palestinians in Gaza since the Hamas incursion last year that claimed 1,200 lives and took around 250 as hostages. The onslaught has triggered a humanitarian disaster and reduced the territory to rubble. Efforts for a permanent cease-fire since a brief November truce have not succeeded yet.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio