Kibbutz Ein Hashlosha called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement at a Wednesday press conference “shocking and inaccurate” after he said that “nothing happened in Ein Hashlosha,” in regards to the October 7 massacre.
The kibbutz emphasized that four of its residents were killed during the attack: Rami Negbi, Noa Glazberg, Silvia Mirensky, and Marcelle Taljah. “They are not ‘nothing,’” the community said.
Expressing disbelief at the prime minister’s remarks, the kibbutz said the statement disrespects the memory of those murdered and wounds the entire community. “On one of the darkest mornings in Israel’s history, members of the emergency squads and residents bravely confronted dozens of terrorists who infiltrated the kibbutz,” the statement said, referring to the IDF probe into the massacre.
The kibbutz added that, a year and a half later, the facts must be stated clearly: “This is the most serious disaster in Israel’s history. Only a state investigation committee can provide full answers and explain what happened and why. On behalf of the families and the entire community, we demand that the prime minister’s remarks be corrected and that the honor and memory of our dear heroes be preserved. We invite Prime Minister Netanyahu to visit Ein Hashlosha, meet the community, and hear their story firsthand.”
The IDF probe concluded that the military failed in its mission. It found that terrorists infiltrated the kibbutz in two waves through three breaches in the western fence. The first wave included about 15 terrorists affiliated with terrorist groups, followed by several dozen more in the second wave. The attackers carried out a campaign of murder, looting, and destruction. Three civilians were killed during the assault.
The investigation also found the kibbutz’s security measures inadequate for the scale of the attack. Some security infrastructure was faulty or unused during the assault.
Regarding evacuation, the report said, “The IDF did not carry out the evacuation of residents according to required standards. The evacuation was done without an organized plan and not within a reasonable timeframe.”
The Prime Minister’s Office issues a response
In response to the criticism, the Prime Minister’s Office said Netanyahu “regrets that his words regarding Kibbutz Ein Hashlosha were misunderstood.”
The statement clarified that “the prime minister meant that the failure to receive the directive from the security establishment not to act is what led kibbutz members to take action. There was no intention to suggest that no residents were killed.”
Jerusalem Post staff contributed to this report.
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