The investigation into the battle in Kibbutz Re'im during the October 7 attack revealed the heroism of the local security squad members who fought alone in a prolonged battle against about 80 terrorists.
In Kibbutz Re'im, at the time of the incident on the morning of October 7, eight members from the ten-member local security squad were operating. When the alarms began to sound, the kibbutz's security coordinator ordered the squad members to gather at a meeting point, where they organized themselves at 7:20 am and were divided into three observation sectors.
About ten minutes later, survivors of the massacre at the Nova music festival began to arrive at the kibbutz. At 7:51, five to ten terrorists entered the kibbutz through the southern gate. Members of the security squad exchanged fire with them, during which one terrorist was eliminated and the rest withdrew.
At 8:01, about 40 additional terrorists entered through the northern gate, armed with weapons and moving in vehicles toward the HaTza'irim neighborhood. At this point, acts of murder, kidnapping, looting, and arson occurred in the kibbutz. At 8:14, five civilians were kidnapped, and five others were murdered.
The security squad continued to fight bravely, moving between positions, stopping the terrorist infiltration squads, and setting up roadblocks at the northern and western gates. At 9:00, about 20 more terrorists infiltrated, setting fire to houses in the kibbutz's westernmost neighborhood.
The Israel Police Special Patrol Unit forces that joined the security squad fought alongside them, while IDF soldiers also arrived via Route 234. By 9:30, at least six more terrorists had been killed at the Re'im junction and at the kibbutz gate.
Later in the morning, fierce fighting continued throughout the kibbutz. Members of the security squad, along with police officers, joined forces at 9:47 at the southern gate and bravely stood up to another wave of attacks. They rescued residents from burning houses in the 'HaTza'irim' neighborhood, thwarted infiltrations, and stopped terrorists on their way to the center of the kibbutz.
Even in the hours that followed, until the IDF forces arrived (around 11:40), the security squad continued to operate in the kibbutz with determination and resourcefulness. They led young people who fled from the Nova massacre to shelter, rescued trapped residents, and opened fire on the invaders from inside their homes.
A total of 80 terrorists infiltrated the kibbutz. At the end of the battle, the bodies of 49 terrorists were found in the kibbutz area. It is estimated that the remaining terrorists retreated to the Gaza Strip.
Seven residents were murdered in the massacre, along with 15 members of the Israeli security forces. Five residents were kidnapped to the Gaza Strip, all of whom have since been returned to Israel.
The investigation team concluded that the IDF failed to defend Kibbutz Re'im. The local security squad stood alone in the first hours, preventing the enemy from carrying out a large-scale killing campaign. IDF and police forces arrived later, some without direction, division into sectors, or appropriate equipment, but they acted in an effort to make contact and prevent the enemy from expanding into additional sectors.
The battle of Re'im is considered one of the most difficult battles of the Hamas attack, but also one of the most decisive in the heroism of civilians and fighters alike.