In a dimly lit, concrete underground space designed to simulate a terror tunnel, rare captured documents, equipment, and weapons used by Hamas terrorists during their deadly breach into Western Negev communities are now on display.
The "Return to October" exhibit offers a powerful, multi-sensory experience depicting the slaughter and massacre carried out by Hamas and other terrorist organizations on October 7, 2023. The journey begins with the serene, deceptive tranquility of October 6, transitions abruptly to the violent breach of the border communities and features harrowing footage from the morning of October 7, much of which is being unveiled to the public for the first time.
Return to October exhibition
(Video: IDF Intelligence Directorate)
Two years and eight months after the disaster that forever changed the face of the State of Israel, this documentation and commemoration project, unprecedented in its scale, has opened its doors to the general public. Funded by the IDF Intelligence Directorate (Aman) and spanning approximately 600 square meters, the exhibition provides a rare, painful and vital glimpse into the depths of Hamas’s systematic plan of destruction. It confronts visitors with the gravity of the intelligence failure on one hand, and the supreme acts of heroism that emerged that morning on the other.
The tour opens with peaceful illustrations of life in the Gaza border region on October 6, families preparing for the Shabbat and holiday, children playing on kibbutz lawns and young people dancing at the Nova music festival. This pastoral reality was shattered instantly at 6:29 a.m. From this point, visitors descend into the stark, concrete environment mimicking Hamas’s underground tunnel network in Gaza, stepping directly into a nightmare that became reality.
One of the most shattering revelations within the exhibit exposes the profound depth of the deception campaign orchestrated by the terror organization in the years leading up to the massacre. The "Marches of Return" held along the border fence were, in fact, a sophisticated deception. Under the cover of civilian riots, terrorists physically mapped out weak points and breach locations along the security barrier, the very same points through which thousands of Nukhba terrorists later infiltrated. Among the captured records on display, a handwritten letter by Yahya Sinwar outlining the operational plans for October 7 stands out prominently.
The exhibition features an extensive collection of captured items, including tactical maps, battle plans, instructional manuals, jihadi religious edicts and direct operational orders distributed to the terrorists with instructions on how to target civilians. These items are displayed alongside the actual vehicles used in the raid: a Toyota pickup truck and motorcycles that were modified inside the Gaza Strip into lethal instruments of war.
October 7 memorial event
(Photo: Roy Elman)
The journey culminates in front of a deeply moving memorial wall, which bears the names and faces of the victims, the fallen soldiers and the hostages.
The "Return to October" exhibit stands not only as a living monument to the tragedy but as an essential historical testament ensuring that the world will remember and never forget.
Visitor Information:
- Target audience: The exhibition is open to the general public. Entry is restricted to individuals aged 20 and above.
- Registration: Visits must be coordinated and booked in advance.
- Contact: To register, call 03-5497019 (Extension 2) or email [email protected].
- Operating hours: Sunday through Thursday, 09:00 – 16:00.