The Incredible Story of Heroic Volunteer Guards Who Thwarted a Meticulously Orchestrated Hamas Assault on a Kibbutz

When Hamas militants recently breached the Gaza fence in a highly unusual attack on Israel, the kibbutz of Mefalsim, located less than two miles from the border, found itself at the forefront of the situation. Armed with AK-47 rifles and grenade launchers, a faction of militants directly targeted the gates of the community, while another group strategically aimed to disable its generator. This calculated approach, as noted by security footage and local residents, suggests that the militants possessed detailed knowledge of their intended destinations.

CNN has analyzed the mentioned documents provided by Israeli officials claiming to be Hamas attack plans. These documents reveal that the group extensively gathered specific information about their targets. However, it is worth noting that both of the planned attacks did not unfold as intended due, in part, to the courageous efforts of a few selfless volunteer guards who valiantly defended their fellow community members in intense firefight incidents.

Palestinian fighters from the armed wing of the Hamas movement, known as the al-Qassam Brigades, participate in a military parade along the central Gaza Strip border on July 19, 2023, commemorating the anniversary of the conflict with Israel in 2014.

Hamas is utilizing cryptocurrency to raise funds, showcasing their opportunistic and adaptive nature. Photos of the attack plans for Mefalsim have been shared online by an Israeli first responder group. These plans were reportedly obtained from the body of a deceased Hamas fighter. Independent sources, including two local Israeli security personnel, have confirmed the authenticity of these photos, as they closely align with the tactics employed by Hamas during the attack.

The document, color-coded for convenience, provides a comprehensive account of the guards and security measures in the kibbutz. It reveals that a specific faction of militants was tasked with breaching the fence surrounding the community, while another group received instructions to "seize soldiers and civilians as hostages" for negotiation purposes. Yarden Reskin, a dedicated member of the volunteer security force known as Mefalsims, actively engaged in armed confrontations with the militants, thereby ensuring the safety of the residents and preventing any loss of life. Reskin expressed profound astonishment upon discovering the remarkable level of specificity contained in the document.

"They were fully informed," Reskin stated. "They possessed knowledge of the gate locations, generator positions, armory whereabouts, and even had an accurate count of our security team members... their intelligence was remarkably accurate."

An additional Hamas document, acquired by CNN from a high-ranking official within the Israeli government, revealed even more disturbing intentions. The document outlined the attackers' objective as "causing the utmost number of human casualties."

Like in Mefalsim, the plans didnt come to fruition, with a first responder group and a local resident telling CNN that no residents had died inside Saad.

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The contrasting outcomes between the detailed plans and the actual events on the ground reflect the extent of chaos that ensued during the attack, as Hamas fighters faced significantly less opposition from the Israeli military than anticipated. Despite Israel's substantial investment in border security and its renowned intelligence operations, its armed forces were taken by surprise. CNN has translated the documents, but their origin has not been independently verified. Various representatives from Hamas, classified as a terrorist organization by the US, did not provide substantial responses to inquiries seeking comments or confirmation regarding the plans.

According to experts, Hamas appears to have diligently gathered intelligence on the communities they intended to target for the planned assault over the weekend, despite some of their plans not materializing. Matthew Levitt, who oversees a program on counterterrorism and intelligence at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and analyzed the documents for CNN, expressed astonishment at the level of detail.

He stated, "The level of meticulousness displayed here is truly surprising. There was a significant amount of effort invested in this operation. It was a meticulously orchestrated plan incorporating intelligence gathering and distribution capabilities that were not commonly attributed to Hamas."

Hamas officials have asserted that their fighters were instructed not to harm women and children, and that any killings of civilians were carried out by unrelated militants who entered Gaza during the attack. However, Israeli officials and experts contradict this claim, pointing to the planning documents which indicate that causing civilian casualties was a key objective for the group.

"The incident was not the result of an isolated individual," Levitt stated. The documents, according to him, indicate that targeting civilians "was precisely their intention."

Outnumbered and outgunned

Mefalsim, a community housing approximately 1,000 residents, has frequently been subjected to Hamas rockets due to its close proximity to Gaza. Consequently, when the locals were notified of the impending rocket attack at approximately 6:30 a.m. on Saturday morning, they promptly sought refuge in their designated bomb shelters.

However, the kibbutz residents quickly realized that this attack was unlike any they had experienced before. Reskin, a lifelong resident of Mefalsim, found himself huddled with his family in their shelter when the sound of gunfire erupted nearby. "I kissed my wife and two little girls, and then I bravely ventured outside to assess the situation," he recounted.

To Reskin's astonishment, he came face to face with armed fighters dressed in black and wielding AK-47s just outside the gates of the kibbutz. Alongside a small group of fellow guards, he engaged in multiple clashes with the attackers, often finding himself outnumbered and outgunned for hours on end.

Security camera footage from Mefalsim, captured and shared on Telegram by a group of Israeli first responders, depicts a grim scene. In the video, a band of militants can be seen approaching the main gate of the kibbutz. Suddenly, a man sprinting toward the gate is targeted and shot, while the guards engage in a fierce exchange of gunfire with the attackers. Astoundingly, only three security guards were left to confront a formidable group of approximately 15 or 16 terrorists, according to Eli Levi, a dedicated volunteer guard interviewed by CNN. These harrowing details of the clash were previously disclosed by the Wall Street Journal.

Said Khatib/AFP via Getty Images captures the aftermath of an Israeli air strike in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip on October 16, 2023. The death toll has reached approximately 2,750, with over 9,700 people injured, as Israel continues its intense air campaign on targets in the Hamas-controlled Palestinian coastal enclave.

Following evacuation orders, they were killed the next day by an Israeli airstrike.

According to Reskin and Levi, Israeli military forces later arrived and successfully defeated more militants who were heading towards the community. Though the attackers managed to kill at least one civilian and possibly others outside the kibbutz gates, and a few residents sustained injuries, there were no fatalities within the community itself.

Reskin later discovered photos of the Hamas planning document, containing information about the security force and estimated response times for Israeli military reinforcements. The document's cover is dated 2022, indicating that the attack may have been planned for over a year - while another page mentions the date June 15, 2023.

Reskin stated that upon seeing the document, he was convinced that the attack had been planned for years rather than weeks or months. Levi, who had also seen the plan, observed that the attack strategy seemed to have been executed by the Hamas militants. According to Levi, some fighters targeted a power generator, which was indicated on the map, while others attempted to seize control of the main gate.

Levi reported that the majority of events occurred as documented. Colin P. Clarke, a senior research fellow at The Soufan Center, a security nonprofit, reviewed purported Hamas documents for CNN and suggested that the detailed data gathered on specific kibbutzim indicated the potential presence of human informants within Israel by the terrorist organization.

"The level of detail is exceptional," stated Clarke, highlighting the extensive planning that demonstrates a strategic vision beyond the capabilities of most terrorist groups. According to Clarke, the group's ability to gather such information indicates not only a significant improvement in Hamas' operational capabilities but also highlights Israel's lack of vigilance in this matter.

We thought we were safe

One document, which a senior Israeli official provided to CNN, details plans to attack Saad, a community of about 850 people a few miles south of Mefalsim.

The document, initially disclosed by NBC News, reports that the objective of Hamas fighters was to "take control of the kibbutz, cause severe harm to its residents, and hold hostages." CNN has not yet independently confirmed the credibility of the documents.

In a manner akin to the Mefalsim plan, the document provides data regarding the kibbutz and its security measures, including specific details about the number of guards responsible for safeguarding the community.

One group of fighters received orders to breach the kibbutz fence and eliminate the guard room. Their mission was to gather hostages in the dining room and prepare to transport some of them to the strip. A second group was instructed to capture hostages and deliver them to the first group.

Israeli forces patrol areas along the Israeli-Gaza border.

Ilia Yefimovich/picture alliance/dpa/Getty Images

The document additionally states that the groups were assigned the tasks of "controlling" and "inspecting" two schools, as well as exploring a designated "youth movement area." Moreover, it encompasses comprehensive satellite image maps of both the Kibbutz and its surrounding vicinity.

However, similar to the situation in Mefalsim, Hamas failed to launch a successful attack on Saad, resulting in no casualties, as reported by the first responders group. The reason behind this remains unclear. Israeli officials claim that numerous other neighboring communities, some of which were pinpointed on a map in the plan, were targeted by Hamas militants who tragically took the lives of innocent civilians.

Sarah Pollack, a resident of Saad, spent Saturday in her family's bomb shelter as the kibbutz experienced a rocket strike from Gaza. Sadly, some residents who were outside the community at the time of the attack lost their lives. However, no militants managed to breach the kibbutz's security gates, resulting in no casualties within the premises.

Speaking from her hotel near Arad in Israel, where she and her family were relocated following the assault, Sarah expressed her bewilderment. She described the situation as an immense and miraculous question for them to ponder.

Pollack expressed her chilling reaction upon discovering the extensive details that Hamas had about Saad in their planning documents. She further remarked on the shocking and horribly accurate nature of these details. Despite Saad experiencing less devastation compared to neighboring kibbutzim, the attack greatly unsettled the residents, significantly impacting their sense of safety in the idyllic, verdant region filled with gardens and trees that they held dear.

She expressed her belief that a physical barrier between the Gaza Strip and Israel would safeguard them, however, their assumption turned out to be gravely mistaken.