Israel military says 'failed' to protect Kibbutz Beeri

Kibbutz Beeri saw one of the fiercest battles of the Hamas incursion into southern Israel with hundreds of militants and troops fighting for control for nearly 24 hours.

It was also one of the most controversial, with the inhabitants complaining that the army took too long to intervene.

An inquiry summary, made public after being presented to kibbutz families, concluded that the military "failed in its mission to protect the residents of Kibbutz Beeri".

It said there had been a "lack of coordination" in the military response and that forces were "not prepared for the extensive infiltration scenario that occurred on October 7".

Just four kilometres from Gaza, Kibbutz Beeri was one of the worst-hit communities on October 7, second only to the Nova music festival for the number of victims.

According to the military report, 101 Beeri civilians were killed and 32 taken hostage, 11 of whom remain captive in Gaza. Twenty-three soldiers and eight police were also killed.
In their response to the report, Beeri families called for more action. They demanded a state commission of inquiry to "ensure that the incredible loss we experienced cannot happen again".

Kibbutz residents said the military report did not explain why it took soldiers stationed outside so long to engage Hamas gunmen while "the kibbutz burned and its inhabitants begged for help".

According to the military's own timeline, residents were left fighting the militants for hours before the first soldiers arrived.

It was not until 4:15 pm, almost 10 hours after the attack began, that a full military unit arrived to establish a command centre, and not until 6:00 pm that 700 soldiers and other security personnel were "operating" in the kibbutz.

The army said around 340 from Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups stormed the kibbutz, torching more than 150 homes.

The army is conducting inquiries into several October 7 incidents.