Only four defenders countered 80 Hamas terrorists, leading to death of 11 residents.

By Hezy Laing

An internal IDF investigation has determined that Kibbutz Holit, with some 200 residents, was left without meaningful protection for several hours during the Hamas assault on October 7, 2023.

According to the probe, roughly 80 Hamas terrorists from the Nukhba elite force infiltrated the area shortly after 6:30 a.m., overwhelming the kibbutz’s tiny defensive team.

Only four defenders—security coordinator Eitan Gonen, standby squad member Shachar Bar‑On, volunteer responder Yair Cohen, and civilian defender Omer Shalev—were present to resist the attackers.

All four were killed in the opening phase of the assault, leaving the community exposed as gunmen moved house to house.

Holit, located less than two kilometers from the Gaza border, had repeatedly warned the Eshkol Regional Brigade that its security squad was understaffed and lacked sufficient equipment.

Radio logs show that Gonen issued urgent distress calls beginning at 6:35 a.m., reporting dozens of armed infiltrators and pleading for immediate reinforcement.

Despite these calls, the first organized IDF force did not reach the kibbutz until after 10 a.m., more than three hours after the initial breach.

During that time, Hamas gunmen set homes ablaze, shot residents attempting to flee, and abducted several civilians.

Among those initially believed kidnapped was 68‑year‑old peace activist Vivian Silver, whose remains were later identified, confirming she had been killed in the attack.

The probe cites a collapse of regional communications, paralysis within the Eshkol Brigade, and the diversion of rapid‑response teams to nearby communities such as Kibbutz Sufa and Kerem Shalom, which were also under heavy assault.

Investigators concluded that Holit’s defenders fought “with extraordinary bravery,” managing to delay the attackers long enough for dozens of residents to barricade themselves in safe rooms.

However, with four armed defenders facing an estimated 80 terrorists, the kibbutz had “no realistic chance” of holding out.

The findings echo similar failures documented in probes into Kibbutz Be’eri, Nir Oz, and Kfar Aza, intensifying public scrutiny of the IDF’s preparedness on October 7.

Families of Holit’s victims, including relatives of Gonen and Bar‑On, have demanded accountability from senior commanders, arguing that the abandonment of the community represents one of the clearest examples of the military’s collapse that morning.