Next Wednesday, the IDF is expected to present to the residents of Kibbutz Kfar Aza the findings regarding the murder of 64 of its members and the kidnapping of 19 of them during the October 7, 2023 Hamas massacre.
According to the findings of the investigation, as obtained by Ynet, in at least three different cases, civilians were mistakenly killed by IDF fire. One incident occurred when soldiers fired at a civilian who was kidnapped in his vehicle, under the assumption that he was a terrorist.
Additionally, it was determined that after IDF troops entered the kibbutz and cleared certain areas of terrorists, they left without leaving a security force in place. Later, terrorists managed to return to the kibbutz and continue their campaign of murder and kidnappings.
Another finding points to a significant failure in evacuating the residents. Most of the civilians were gathered at the gas station outside the kibbutz, but the evacuation itself was done without proper registration or documentation. This situation made it difficult for forces to understand who remained at home and who had already been evacuated, impacting the ability to fight and assist the injured.
Another failure found in the investigation relates to the evacuation of residents by buses via Route 232 towards Kshatot Junction. The investigation suggests that the buses left the area without military escort, despite the area being under combat. Fortunately, the passengers managed to escape unharmed.
Furthermore, the IDF found that the evacuation of civilian bodies, members of the emergency response team, and members of the security force was conducted without proper documentation of the location of the fall or the circumstances of death. This negligence harmed the ability to complete the investigation and provided incomplete information to the families of the fallen.