Nir Am’s local security squad and a nearby IDF unit prevented terrorists from infiltrating the kibbutz.
By World Israel News Staff
Despite being heavily outgunned, Kibbutz Nir Am’s local defense squad managed to hold off waves of invading terrorists on October 7, according to an IDF probe published on Wednesday morning.
The investigation also found that quick action by an IDF battalion stationed nearby was critical in preventing mass casualties.
Unlike many Gaza-border communities that were overrun by invading terrorists on October 7, Hamas operatives were unable to successfully infiltrate Nir Am. The probe determined that a nearby IDF unit had reached the kibbutz quickly, in sharp contrast to many other communities where military support arrived hours or even days later.
No residents of Nir Am were murdered in the invasion, though Hamas-led massacres occurred in nearby communities.
The IDF probe noted, however, that Nir Am’s local squad faced serious challenges, including malfunctioning rifles, insufficient ammunition, and logistical difficulties from storing all weapons in a single armory, which hindered their response to the terrorists.
A nearby Golan Brigade unit, backed by tanks and armored vehicles, helped repel the terrorists attempting to invade Nir Am.
Dozens of attackers who reached the kibbutz perimeter were killed by Nir Am’s emergency defense team. Members of the police’s elite Yasam counterterrorism unit also joined the fight and were credited with saving the community.
Two soldiers and a police officer were killed in the battle to defend Nir Am. Sgt. Yaron Zohar, 19, fought terrorists at the kibbutz gate for nearly two hours before being fatally wounded by an accidental IDF mortar strike.
Sgt. Matan Abergil, 19, threw himself on a grenade inside an armored vehicle, sacrificing his life to save his comrades. Senior counterterrorism officer Command Sgt. Maj. Roman “Yaser” Gendel, 47, was shot and killed during a gun battle with terroristss.
Two civilians were kidnapped from Nir Am’s agricultural area. Samer Talalka, 24, a Bedouin-Israeli who worked in the chicken coops, was abducted and later escaped captivity, only to be tragically shot by IDF troops who mistook him and two fellow hostages for terrorists in Gaza.
Surin Khongsungnan, a Thai national, was also kidnapped but freed in a November 2023 hostage deal after about a month in captivity.
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