The investigation into the events that unfolded in Kibbutz Re’im on October 7 has shed light on the extraordinary courage shown by the local civilian defense team, who fought off a massive terrorist assault with no outside assistance for hours.
At the time of the attack early that morning, eight members of the kibbutz’s ten-man emergency response unit were on duty. When the initial sirens went off, the squad’s security coordinator instructed them to report to a designated meeting location. By 7:20 a.m., they had assembled and split into three groups, each assigned to a different area to observe and defend.
Roughly ten minutes later, survivors fleeing the massacre at the Nova music festival began reaching Kibbutz Re’im. At 7:51 a.m., between five and ten terrorists breached the kibbutz’s southern gate. A firefight broke out between the attackers and the security team, resulting in one terrorist being neutralized while the others pulled back.
By 8:01 a.m., a much larger wave of roughly 40 armed terrorists stormed in through the northern entrance, some of them riding in vehicles as they made their way toward the HaTza’irim neighborhood. It was during this stage that the kibbutz was subjected to widespread violence, including murders, kidnappings, looting, and fires. At 8:14 a.m., five residents were abducted, and five others were killed.
The local squad continued to resist with immense bravery, repositioning themselves constantly to counter infiltrating terrorists. They set up makeshift barriers at the northern and western gates in an attempt to stop further incursions. At 9:00 a.m., another group of 20 terrorists entered the western part of the kibbutz and set homes ablaze.
Soon after, specialized units from the Israel Police’s Special Patrol Unit arrived and joined forces with the defenders. IDF troops also began to reach the area via Route 234. By 9:30 a.m., security personnel had killed at least six more terrorists at the kibbutz gate and the nearby Re’im junction.
As the morning wore on, the battle intensified. At 9:47 a.m., local defenders and police regrouped at the southern entrance to confront yet another round of attacks. They heroically pulled residents from burning buildings in HaTza’irim, repelled new infiltrations, and intercepted terrorists attempting to move toward the center of the community.
Even after these clashes, and until the IDF arrived around 11:40 a.m., the kibbutz’s defenders continued to operate with courage and resolve. They helped survivors of the Nova festival reach shelter, aided residents trapped in their homes, and fired on terrorists from within residential buildings.
All told, 80 terrorists infiltrated Kibbutz Re’im. When the dust settled, 49 terrorist bodies were found in the area. It is believed that those who were not killed managed to retreat to Gaza.
The attack resulted in the deaths of seven kibbutz residents and 15 members of Israeli security forces. Five civilians were abducted and taken to Gaza, but all have since been returned.
The investigating team concluded that the IDF did not succeed in protecting Kibbutz Re’im in the initial critical hours. The civilian response team stood alone at first, and their actions were crucial in preventing a far worse tragedy. Reinforcements from the IDF and police arrived later, some unprepared or lacking proper coordination, but still acted to contain the threat and stop it from spreading further.
The battle at Re’im stands as both one of the most brutal encounters during the Hamas-led invasion and one of the most remarkable examples of heroism shown by ordinary civilians and security forces alike.
{Matzav.com Israel}
