Disasters

By Pesach Benson • September 2, 2025

Jerusalem, 2 September, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Extraordinary acts of heroism by Israeli soldiers at an army base on the Gaza border averted a Hamas strategic victory during the October attack, an Israel Defense Forces inquiry released on Tuesday revealed.

The investigation determined that Hamas terrorists failed to achieve their primary objective of capturing Camp Yiftach, located north of the Gaza Strip, despite years of planning for this specific goal. The rapid response and determined fighting by soldiers from Battalion 77 of the 7th Brigade proved decisive in thwarting the enemy’s plan, though terrorists did manage to briefly penetrate the camp before retreating to Gaza with a stolen military vehicle.

The defense began at 6:29 a.m. when patrol forces, already positioned along the coastline, received reports of suspicious movement. Without waiting for orders, the patrol immediately moved toward the threat, arriving just as two terrorists attempted to breach the border barrier. Their quick action, supported by tank fire, stopped this infiltration route and prevented terrorists from reaching the nearby Moshav Netiv Ha’asara civilian community.

Simultaneously, Hamas launched a sea-borne assault on Zikim beach with seven boats carrying terrorists. Captain Itai Maor led a reconnaissance force that engaged the maritime infiltrators, with his unit fighting “until the last bullet” despite being heavily outnumbered. The investigation noted that approximately 15 terrorists were eliminated across various battle sites, including two at the Erez police station, three who disembarked from boats, and ten more in fighting along the barrier and firing ranges.

At Camp Yiftach itself, Sergeant Ofir Zioni emerged as a key figure. When massive gunfire erupted at the base, Zioni took another fighter and moved toward the shore to establish contact with approaching terrorists, coordinating with naval forces to eliminate the first terrorist boat. He continued fighting from a dangerous forward position until he was fatally wounded. The investigation praised his “exceptional leadership and courage,” with one officer stating that Zioni “deserves to be highlighted” for his selfless actions.

The battle intensified when terrorists penetrated deeper into the camp. Corporal Naama Boni, stationed at a critical guard position, called for help on WhatsApp while under fire. Despite being vastly outnumbered, with more than twenty terrorists facing a handful of defenders, soldiers like Lieutenant Yoav Aliev continued fighting even while wounded. Aliev was noted for writing in his notebook during the battle: “These are the most significant minutes of my life, the best twenty minutes of my life.”

However, the investigation also delivered harsh criticism of soldiers who remained in shelters throughout the attack instead of joining the defense. The report characterized their behavior as “inappropriate” and constituting “a moral and professional failure” that compromised the camp’s defensive capabilities during this unprecedented assault.

Tuesday’s report is the latest in a series of detailed army probes — summaries of which have been released — of how some 5,000 terrorists from Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad managed to attack numerous Israeli communities and overrun the army’s border positions. The army’s chain of command broke amid the chaos, and soldiers were outnumbered.

The investigations found that the army misunderstood Hamas’s intentions for years, and as October 7 approached, intelligence about the looming attack was misinterpreted. The military was also more focused on threats from Iran and its proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The IDF probes only deal with issues of operations, intelligence, and command, not decisions made by the political echelon.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has resisted calls for a formal state commission of inquiry, saying he opposes a “politically biased” probe. Critics accuse Netanyahu of delaying the inquiry and trying to water down its mandate.

Approximately 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 48 remaining hostages, around 20 are believed to be alive.