In the chaos of dawn on October 7, 2023, as Hamas terrorists stormed Israel’s southern border, one battle stood out as the most devastating: the fall of Nachal Oz. A newly released IDF investigation has revealed shocking details about the attack that saw the strategic military outpost overrun in just under two hours—an event now deemed “the biggest failure” of that day.

The findings, made public Monday night, expose a tragic mix of intelligence failures, financial constraints, and tactical misjudgments, all of which left the base woefully unprepared for an attack of this magnitude. But amid the horror, the report also details extraordinary acts of heroism, as outgunned and outnumbered Israeli soldiers fought to defend their post.

Nachal Oz, located just half a mile from the Gaza border, was intended to be a forward military stronghold. Instead, due to budgetary limitations, it was treated as a rear outpost, leaving it shockingly exposed. When the attack began at 6:29 a.m., 162 soldiers were stationed at Nachal Oz—but only 90 were armed. Even more disturbingly, just one lone guard patrolled the perimeter.

The attackers came in force. According to the IDF probe, 215 terrorists from Hamas’s Shejaiya Battalion stormed the base, quickly overwhelming the defenses. Within minutes, the outcome was sealed. By the time the battle ended, 53 IDF soldiers had been killed, three troops and seven female IDF observers had been kidnapped, and 71 Hamas terrorists had been killed.

Perhaps the most devastating revelation from the probe is just how methodical Hamas was in planning the attack. The terror group spent years gathering intelligence on the base, using IDF soldiers’ social media posts to create a detailed map of Nachal Oz. They knew where soldiers slept, where they sought shelter, and even the location of communications equipment and surveillance cameras.

A seized Hamas document laid out the plan with chilling precision. The best time to attack, it said, would be at first light, on a weekend or Yom Tov, when many soldiers were home. It advised using rocket fire to force soldiers into shelters, leaving them vulnerable to direct assault.

The IDF’s internal review confirmed that Hamas had been developing these plans since 2016, refining them under the cover of seemingly routine escalations. The terrifying “Jericho Wall” plan, uncovered by Israeli intelligence in 2022, had been dismissed as unrealistic at the time.

It was no longer unrealistic on October 7.

Yet, even in the face of overwhelming odds, some fought with unparalleled bravery. Major Shilo Har-Even, 25, despite being seriously wounded, led multiple counterattacks to hold back the terrorists. He fought until his last breath. Warrant Officer Ibrahim Kharuba, 39, a Bedouin soldier, shielded the defenseless female IDF observers, vowing that it would be an honor to die protecting them and Israel. Kharuba fought until he was killed in a shootout.

Both soldiers have now been recommended for Israel’s highest military honor, the Medal of Valor.

The collapse of Nachal Oz was not an isolated failure—it was part of a larger pattern of military miscalculations that led to the single deadliest attack on Israeli soil. According to the IDF’s findings, 5,500 terrorists infiltrated Israel through 114 breaches in the border, using seven boats and six paragliders to outmaneuver defenses. The attack was launched under cover of 3,889 rockets and 57 drones.

The military, the report confirms, failed to anticipate and prepare for such a coordinated ground invasion, particularly under sustained rocket fire.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, the man at the helm on October 7, has taken full responsibility for the military’s failures. In a statement following the release of the investigation, he did not mince words.

“The responsibility is mine,” he stated bluntly. “I was the commander of the army on October 7, and I also bear the full responsibility for all of you.”

Halevi has announced plans to resign in March, making him the highest-ranking Israeli official to step down over the failures of that day.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)