The bodies were found during restoration work at the kibbutz, one of the hardest-hit during the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas massacre.
(JNS)
On Thursday, 397 days since Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, Israeli workers discovered terrorists’ remains in Kibbutz Nirim in the western Negev. The grim find occurred during earthworks as part of ongoing restoration efforts at the kibbutz, which was severely damaged during the massacre.
The remains were immediately transferred to Israel’s Institute of Forensic Medicine for analysis. Experts there confirmed that the bodies belonged to Hamas terrorists who participated in the brutal attack.
The identification process was thorough, with forensic teams examining not only the human remains but also remnants of uniforms and equipment found at the site. This evidence strongly suggested that the deceased were indeed terrorists, a conclusion later corroborated by pathology tests.
The discovery initially sparked rumors about the recovery of Israeli hostages’ remains, which were quickly dispelled by authorities.
Investigators believe that these terrorists were killed within the kibbutz during the Oct. 7 attack. In the chaotic aftermath of the massacre, hundreds of terrorist bodies were scattered across the area, with no immediate resources available for their removal. It appears that these particular bodies were moved outside the kibbutz with the intention of later collection, but were inadvertently forgotten.
This incident is not isolated; just three months ago, similar remains were discovered near Sderot.
According to recent IDF estimates, approximately 7,000 Gazans participated in the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on Oct. 7. This figure, significantly higher than previous assessments, includes about 3,800 terrorists from Hamas’s Nukhba force, who spearheaded the invasion.
The attack’s magnitude is further illustrated by the fact that terrorists breached the border at 119 different points, demonstrating the coordinated and extensive nature of the assault. The invasion force of approximately 6,000 people, comprising 3,800 Hamas terrorists and another 2,200 Gazan civilians, was supported by an additional 1,000 terrorists operating from within Gaza, who launched over 4,300 rockets and provided assistance to the infiltrating forces.
Authorities expect that more undiscovered remains and possibly weapons may still be found in the border area.
Image: The aftermath of Hamas’s Oct. 7 invasion in Kibbutz Nirim, near the Israel-Gaza border southern Israel, Jan. 21, 2024. Photo by Yossi Aloni/Flash90.
