In a searing investigation, IDF acknowledges failure to protect Kibbutz Kissufim during Hamas’ October 7 massacre. ‘The forces did not operate with coordinated tactics.’
The IDF on Thursday released the findings of its investigation into the intense battle fought at the Kissufim army base and nearby kibbutz on the Gaza border during Hamas’ mass infiltration and massacre on October 7.
According to the report, approximately 150 terrorists infiltrated the area. Around 40 reached the base and 60 approached the kibbutz. Some were eliminated en route, while others attacked targets near the border or withdrew.
The battle lasted many hours, marked by acts of heroism by soldiers, commanders, and civilians. The battle continued into the late hours of the night, with operational control of the base regained on Saturday night.
An initial confrontation near the border was led by Golani’s “Carmel A” force, which engaged terrorists alone for most of the day, eventually running out of ammunition before reaching the Kissufim base on foot. Upon arrival, the unit was hit by a mortar shell, killing Captain Ori Shani and Sgt. Re’em Meir Batito.
The report details the bravery of multiple soldiers: Sgt. Tomer Nagar operated a machine gun alone at the base gate under continuous fire for 25 minutes before falling; the report noted that he “succeeded in delaying the terrorists’ advance and disrupting the attack from that direction.” Sgt. Michael Ben Hamo and Sgt. Adi Tzur died in close combat. Sgt. Bar Rosenstein was killed trying to return on foot after his vehicle was hit. Others were killed by anti-tank fire or during fighting in a fortified shelter.
Sergeant David Mittelman and Sergeant Ilai Noam Ben Moha, were killed by an anti-tank missile at a position near another gate of the base after an intense 20-minute battle. Following their deaths, the terrorists breached the base.
A prolonged battle took place inside a fortified shelter, during which six soldiers fell: Maj. Raz Peretz, Sgt. 1st Class Yogev Aharon, Sgt. 1st Class Brando David Flores Garcia, Sgt. 1st Class Binyamin Tshager Taka, Sgt. Uriel Segal, and Sgt. 1st Class Evyatar Ohayon Abukasis. They were killed while defending the position against a direct assault by terrorists. Sgt. Or Estu was critically wounded and later died in hospital.
Simultaneously, terrorists infiltrated Kibbutz Kissufim, attacking homes, killing civilians, and abducting resident Shlomo Mansour, who was later murdered in Gaza. Despite limited arms and no early warning, the local emergency squad split to defend the kibbutz from multiple entry points. Several residents and reservists were killed, and many civilians were trapped under fire for hours.
Only at 13:45 did the second phase of the battle begin, with a force from the Egoz unit entering the base. The unit conducted intense combat, rescued the female surveillance soldiers from the operations room, and cleared the base of remaining terrorists. During the fighting, Egoz soldiers Sgt. Elad Michael Sasson, Staff Sgt. Amit Peled, and Staff Sgt. Yonatan Savitsky were killed.
Simultaneously with the battle at the base, another battle unfolded in Kibbutz Kissufim. Terrorists arrived in waves, on foot and by vehicle—some from the base and others through breaches in the border fence—and infiltrated the community. They attacked residential homes, fired in all directions, and set buildings on fire. The terrorists were armed with assault rifles, machine guns, grenades, explosives, and anti-tank missiles.
At approximately 07:30, terrorists abducted Kibbutz resident Shlomo Mansour from the northern neighborhood and proceeded to the foreign workers’ housing, where they murdered six Thai civilians.
The local emergency squad, with limited weapons and ammunition and without prior warning, split up and engaged in combat at various positions. A local commander was heard over the radio: “Kissufim is under attack — we’re splitting up, everyone head to a different gate, try to hold out.”
In the early stages of the attack, kibbutz members Eitan Halperin, Ilan Shulman, and Achiad Litman were killed near their homes. Ido Ben Shalom, a reservist and resident, was shot dead in an external battle. Ro’ee Raviv, Yaron Ashkenazi, Ram Carmi, and Sharon Ben David were also murdered within the kibbutz. Shlomo Mansour, who had been abducted, was later murdered in Gaza.
The emergency squad managed to block further infiltrations, eliminate terrorists, and disrupt their advance — but eventually ran out of ammunition and were left without support. Many residents were trapped in shelters and safe rooms, reporting gunfire, break-in attempts, and only partial responses from emergency services.
During an advance, a force from Company B of the 51st Battalion encountered heavy fire. The company commander, recognizing a strong enemy presence, adjusted the attack plan. While positioning the support team, intense fire broke out, wounding several soldiers. Sgt. Guy Bazak, the unit’s marksman, was killed. The unit evacuated the wounded and reorganized for a northwestern flanking attack, during which they killed a terrorist and seized his radio.
At 13:06, a platoon from Battalion 450 led by the battalion and company commanders entered the kibbutz after fighting near the Maon, Re’im, and Gama junctions and assisting in civilian rescues. They joined Golani forces and the local emergency squad, held a situational assessment, and divided responsibilities.
They searched the central neighborhood, where they discovered the bodies of Gina Samyatich and Ofer Ron, who had been murdered by terrorists in the early hours of the morning.
The force, commanded by the 450th Battalion commander, along with emergency squad member Sgt. Maj. Saar Margolis, advanced toward the northern neighborhood and Junction 113 in two groups – a northern group led by the company commander, and a southern group led by the battalion commander. Upon reaching the intersection between the base and the kibbutz, they came under fire from both directions.
A battle ensued as they pushed forward towards the kibbutz’s northern neighborhood. Ten soldiers were wounded, including the battalion and company commanders. Five of these soldiers were killed: Sgt. 1st Class Omri Peretz, Sgt. Regev Amar, Sgt. Matan Malka, Sgt. Bar Yankelov, and Sgt. Lavi Buchnik. A prolonged effort followed to retrieve the fallen.
As they reached the emergency coordinator’s house, terrorists inside opened fire and threw grenades. Sgt. Maj. Saar Margolis and squad commander Sgt. 1st Class Adam Agmon were killed. The team returned fire, called for reinforcements, and evacuated the casualties.
Around 14:00, an Egoz unit entered the kibbutz with its commander and began clearing buildings and conducting searches.
At around 16:00, a Shaked Battalion force, led by its commander after fighting at the Nova festival site and Re’im base, arrived. They came under fire from the base and nearby houses upon reaching Junction 113 and evacuated their wounded using an armored vehicle from the Golani Brigade.
At 16:20, an Egoz team arrived at the Godo family’s home as part of the search for terrorists. They instructed the family to remain in their shelter while terrorists hid in the adjacent house. Upon leaving, the team came under crossfire. The unit commander and several soldiers were wounded and evacuated by Shaked Battalion and Unit 669. One of the wounded, Sgt. Maj. Vitaly Skipkevich, later died of his wounds.
Tom Godo, the father, was accidentally killed by IDF fire during a later search when soldiers, believing a hostage situation was underway, opened fire on the shelter door.
Later Saturday afternoon, terrorists retreating from the southern neighborhood murdered and set fire to two homes: those of Ivan Illermandi-Caesar, and Daphna Grekovich. An hour later, the Zak family — Ittai, Eti, their young son Sagi — and neighbor Menucha Holati were murdered.
Reinforcements from the 7th Brigade and reservists joined later that day. Outside the kibbutz, two tanks from Battalion 77 halted additional enemy forces and eliminated some of the terrorists attempting to retreat.
On Monday, October 9, at 12:00 p.m., four dairy workers arrived at the kibbutz’s cowshed. Reuven Heynik, the manager, was shot and killed by three terrorists hiding there. Following this, another sweep was ordered to ensure no terrorists remained. Around 16:00, an Egoz team encountered two terrorists in the center of the kibbutz. During the firefight, Sgt. Maj. Aviel Malkamo was killed, others were wounded, and the terrorists were eliminated.
Operational control of the kibbutz was only fully restored on Thursday.
The investigation reveals a grim picture of determined resistance under harsh conditions, marked by numerous acts of personal heroism. The IDF commended the actions of the soldiers, commanders, and residents of the kibbutz for their stand in battle and their role in halting the murderous terror assault.
The investigation team, led by Col. Tal Elkobi, concluded that the IDF failed in its mission to defend the kibbutz and its residents. “The forces did not operate according to a unified and coordinated technique, which prolonged the efforts to clear the kibbutz of terrorists.”
