A yearlong IDF investigation has concluded that local residents and volunteer defenders — not the army — prevented a massacre in Moshav Yated during the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023. The probe details how 11 terrorists infiltrated the community area as Israel’s military defenses collapsed.
At 6:29 a.m., after the initial rocket barrage, the moshav’s security coordinator activated the standby squad, sealed gates, deployed armed civilians, and began patrols. By mid-morning, residents detained or neutralized multiple terrorists in a series of close-quarters encounters across the community.
The IDF, meanwhile, was hampered by breakdowns in command and communication. A joint force on Route 232 — including reservist Iftach Gorny, who was killed while defending the area — fought to prevent additional terrorists from reaching Yated. Attack helicopters arrived only after significant delays.
Local defenders, some using household items to restrain captured terrorists, continued guarding the community through the night and into the next day. More infiltrators were discovered surrendering on October 8, and residents assisted in securing them until military reinforcements arrived.
Investigators concluded that the rapid mobilization, courage, and tactical coordination of the moshav’s civilian defenders were the decisive factors in protecting Yated.
