Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi visited Kibbutz Nir Oz for the first time since October 7. This kibbutz was one of the hardest hit during the massacre, and Halevi met with the residents and the families of the victims.
On October 7, not a single shot was fired by the IDF in Nir Oz. A quarter of the kibbutz's residents were either kidnapped or killed without resistance. Accompanied by other high-ranking officers, Halevi apologized to the residents for the failure on October 7, taking personal responsibility for what happened.
On October 7, the IDF failed to protect Nir Oz. In the absence of the army, some 130 militants from Nukhba and Islamic Jihad stormed the kibbutz, later joined by dozens of Palestinian looters.
According to Ynet, the first IDF units arrived at Kibbutz Nir Oz only by 1:30 PM – seven hours after the massacre, torture, destruction, and killings.
