The IDF published on Wednesday the findings of its investigation into the fighting on the morning of October 7 in the area of Kibbutz Nir Am, located just north of the Gaza border.
The probe focuses mainly on the actions of forces outside the kibbutz, since Hamas terrorists did not succeed in infiltrating the community itself. According to the IDF, that was thanks to the actions of soldiers and Border Police officers. “The story of Kibbutz Nir Am could have ended differently, were it not for the fighters who were in the right place at the right time and acted professionally,” the military said.
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Master Sgt. Roman Gandel, 47, from Ashkelon; Staff Sgt. Yaron Zohar, 19, from Rishon Lezion; and Staff Sgt. Matan Avergil, 19, from Kiryat Malakhi
Three Israelis were killed in the fighting around Nir Am: Staff Sgt. Matan Avergil, 19, from Kiryat Malakhi; Master Sgt. Roman Gandel, 47, from Ashkelon; and Staff Sgt. Yaron Zohar, 19, from Rishon Lezion.
The main clashes took place at an egg hatchery outside the kibbutz. From there, two civilians were abducted: Samer Talalka, a resident of the Bedouin town of Hura in the Negev, who was later mistakenly killed by IDF fire inside Gaza, and Surin Khongsungnan, a Thai worker who was released in the first hostage deal in November 2023.
Unlike most other October 7 probes presented so far, this one did not begin with the words: “The IDF failed in its mission to defend the area.”
The investigation, led by Col. (res.) Yaron Sitbon and summarized by former Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman, concluded that the swift, determined fighting by IDF forces in the area, together with the Border Police tactical brigade that joined later, prevented the terrorists from moving toward the kibbutz and reaching Sderot and other towns they intended to target.
The fighting, minute by minute
Before the attack, a Golani company from Battalion 13, an armored personnel carrier (Namer), and a tank crew were stationed in the sector.
6:31 a.m. – Spotters reported Hamas terrorists blowing up obstacles, breaching several points in the border fence, and infiltrating Israel.
6:36 a.m. – An IDF tank took up a dominant position and opened fire at dozens of terrorists shooting at it. During the fighting, the tank crushed several terrorist motorcycles and slowed two pickup trucks.
6:48 a.m. – The tank was struck by an RPG, and its commander decided to pull back. The nearby Namer encountered two terrorists on motorcycles, opened fire, and was then hit by a drone that lightly wounded two soldiers and disabled its weapons system.
The Golani company commander decided to drive toward Nir Am and ordered the company standby squad to head there as well. Both forces arrived at the hatchery west of the kibbutz.
7:02 a.m. – They encountered about 10 terrorists on motorcycles and in a pickup truck, and opened fire. The commander called for the tank and Namer to link up with them.
7:10 a.m. – The commander’s force blocked the road between the hatchery and the kibbutz, a few hundred meters away, using two vehicles. He placed an ambush on the vehicles while flanking the hatchery. During the sweep, the ambush force engaged terrorists, killing some while others barricaded themselves inside the hatchery.
Meanwhile, Nir Am’s civilian security squad began to mobilize. The kibbutz’s security coordinator, Inbal Lieberman, gave the order to arm and deploy. At 7:21 a.m. the armory was opened, and by 8 a.m. the squad was stationed inside the kibbutz. Of the 15 rifles available that morning, three were broken, and the magazines were empty, forcing the team to load them under fire. The kibbutz gates were closed due to a power failure, but the IDF noted this had little effect in practice.
7:24 a.m. – Twelve more terrorists arrived at the hatchery. They violently seized Talalka and Khongsungnan, forcing them into the trunk of Talalka’s car, and abducted them into Gaza by 7:37 a.m. Talalka was later mistakenly killed by IDF fire in Gaza along with two other hostages, Alon Shamriz and Yotam Haim, after they escaped captivity. Khongsungnan was returned in a hostage exchange.
Unaware of the abduction or the civilians inside, the IDF forces outside continued exchanging fire with the terrorists and firing tank shells.
9 a.m. – Mortar fire struck the Golani outpost, hitting both the guard post and the mortar section. Staff Sgt. Yaron Zohar, who had been firing mortars since the beginning of the attack, was critically wounded by shrapnel. He was evacuated to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
10:08 a.m. – Another clash took place in the area, and the Namer platoon commander was wounded. Two terrorists ran toward Nir Am but were shot dead by Golani soldiers together with the kibbutz’s security squad. Around the same time, a local police officer from the kibbutz reported shooting at a terrorist climbing the southern fence, forcing him to flee. Both infiltration attempts into Nir Am failed.
10:32 a.m. – A second wave of between 60 and 80 terrorists stormed the hatchery. They arrived in two trucks, a pickup with a mounted machine gun, motorcycles, and on foot. Heavy fighting broke out. Some terrorists tried to reach the tank, which identified them and advanced toward them, but was hit by an RPG. The platoon commander inside was wounded, and the explosion disabled the tank’s communications systems, forcing it to retreat.
10:47 a.m. – The Golani Namer pursued a terrorist motorcycle. It was struck by an RPG, disabling it completely. Hamas terrorists then threw grenades into the disabled Namer. The first grenade was a dud, but the second was live. Staff Sgt. Matan Avergil threw himself on it, shielding his comrades and saving their lives. He was killed instantly, while the others were wounded.
At that moment, the Golani force was in dire straits: one tank knocked out, a disabled Namer, wounded fighters, and dwindling ammunition, while dozens of terrorists were barricaded in the hatchery.
The Border Police tactical brigade arrived just as terrorists tried to storm the disabled Namer. The terrorists opened fire at the eight Border Police officers, wounding four.
11:00 a.m. – Two Shin Bet “David” armored vehicles joined, evacuating the wounded through the back gate of Nir Am. A Sayeret Matkal training team also entered the area, flanking from the north but was hit by terrorist fire, wounding the team commander and another fighter. At 11:08 a.m., another Border Police force advanced from the south toward the hatchery and came under fire. Master Sgt. Roman Gandel was killed in the exchange.
Later that day, reinforcements arrived: another tank and a Yamam (police counterterror unit) force that evacuated the wounded from the Namer. The IDF said dozens of terrorists were killed in the fighting, and those who remained in the hatchery retreated toward Gaza. Helicopters and drones struck them from the air, killing many. By the afternoon, operational control of the area was restored.
IDF conclusions
The investigation emphasized that the Golani company commander’s decision to block the road at the hatchery stopped the terrorists from reaching Nir Am and Sderot. “Their goal was to reach the kibbutz and Sderot and to murder,” the IDF said.
Unlike other sectors where the outcome was tragic, the IDF acknowledged that the presence of forces before the attack, combined with decisive leadership, prevented disaster.
The probe praised the Golani company commander for determined, professional command; Staff Sgt. Matan Abergil’s bravery in throwing himself on a grenade; the tank crew and mortar section; reinforcements from Camp Yiftach; the civilian security squad of Nir Am; the Border Police tactical brigade; Sayeret Matkal; Shin Bet; and all other forces. The kibbutz’s civilian squad was commended for deploying effectively in its positions.