This morning (Wednesday), the IDF released the findings of its operational inquiry into the deadly October 7 battle at the Yachini settlement, part of the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council, which was struck during Hamas's surprise assault on southern Israel.
The report identifies severe lapses in defense preparation and infrastructure, including an untrained and ill-equipped civilian emergency squad, open gates, and the absence of protective barriers or defense drills. However, the inquiry also commends the extraordinary courage displayed by both civilians and military personnel during the chaotic hours of combat.
The terrorist squad entered Israel at 07:05 via Route 34. After a failed attempt to storm a nearby gas station and Kibbutz Gevim, where civilians were sheltering, they turned south and began a killing spree along the roadside, murdering eight individuals, including civilians and a soldier.
The eight terrorists then entered Yachini through an unsecured pedestrian gate, splitting into two teams and rampaging through the settlement’s streets.
Despite being caught off guard, soldiers, police, and even civilians joined the defense. A Givati Brigade officer on leave rushed to warn worshippers and residents at a local synagogue.
Several individuals lost their lives in the attack:
- Ilan Avraham refused terrorist demands to serve as a spokesman and was executed.
- Yizhar and Elitzur Hajbi were killed while trying to flee their home.
- Maj. Peleg Salem, armed only with a pistol, charged a terrorist squad and was fatally shot.
- Yehonatan Hajbi, severely wounded while defending the Rabbi’s home, later died of his injuries.
- Sgt. Amit Guetta, a Maglan soldier, was killed in a brave attempt to disrupt a terrorist ambush.
- Sgt. Ravit Hana Asayag of the Border Police was shot during a search operation in the town.
- Shani Amin and Adam Eliav, fleeing from the nearby Nova music festival, were also murdered on Route 34.
By around 10:17 a.m., after intense fighting and the arrival of additional forces, all eight terrorists were eliminated, some during orchard searches at the settlement's outskirts.
While the IDF acknowledges that certain units, especially the Border Police, operated with notable effectiveness, the inquiry concludes that the IDF fundamentally failed to defend Yachini in time. The civilian emergency squad was under-resourced, untrained, and lacked long-range weapons.
The Yachini community has responded with frustration and demands. In a statement, residents said the findings confirm long-standing concerns about their vulnerability and call for the settlement to be reclassified as a frontline community. They emphasize that without urgent security improvements, including weapons, training, and fortifications, they cannot feel safe.
They also criticized the inquiry’s lack of clear operational conclusions, urging the IDF and Defense Ministry to act swiftly and transparently to implement its lessons.
"We do not want another inquiry; we want action. The people of Yachini deserve to live securely," the town declared.