IDF investigators found that Ofer “Pushko” Moskovitz, a farmer from Kibbutz Misgav Am near the Lebanon border, was killed by Israeli artillery fire intended to support troops operating in southern Lebanon, according to findings released by the army Monday morning.
The military said the shells were fired at the wrong angle and not in accordance with required procedures, causing five rounds to hit the Misgav Am ridge inside Israel instead of enemy targets.
The findings marked a sharp reversal from the initial assumption that Moskovitz had been killed by fire from Lebanon. In its earlier accounts, the military said a projectile from Lebanon had struck a vehicle in the border community, setting two cars ablaze and killing Moskovitz at the scene. No air raid siren sounded before the strike, and Hezbollah initially claimed responsibility.
The probe found multiple serious operational failures in the planning and execution of the artillery fire. Northern Command chief Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo said the shells were fired at the wrong angle and in violation of procedure, causing five rounds to hit the Misgav Am ridge inside Israel instead of their intended targets in southern Lebanon. The military said it would carry out a further in-depth investigation and present the findings first to the family and then to the public.
In an earlier preliminary inquiry, the military had said an artillery unit fired toward a target in southern Lebanon but multiple shells landed inside Misgav Am. Two shells struck a home in the kibbutz and two others hit vehicles near a local store, including Moskovitz’s car. The army described the incident at the time as the result of a flawed operational process that should not have occurred.
The IDF said it “regrets the incident” and expressed condolences to Moskovitz’s family and to the Misgav Am community.
Moskovitz was the manager of Kibbutz Misgav Am’s avocado orchards and was described by the kibbutz and regional officials as a central figure in the community, a longtime farmer and a prominent public voice for the Galilee. He is survived by three daughters and two grandchildren.
Days before he was killed, Moskovitz had spoken publicly about the danger of continuing agricultural work near the border during the fighting. In a radio interview, he said, “Every moment, a rocket or drone could fall on me. It’s like Russian roulette,” while also expressing hope that his family would one day feel safe at home.
The earlier reports said emergency responders who arrived at the scene found two vehicles engulfed in flames. Magen David Adom medics said they identified Moskovitz in the driver’s seat during firefighting efforts and pronounced him dead at the scene. While rescue teams were still working, another siren warning of fire from Lebanon sounded, though that projectile did not cross into Israeli territory.