Navy Commander: Significant Gains Since October 7 Zikim Battle

Three years after the brutal battle at Zikim beach in which 19 civilians were murdered, we sat down with Major A., a commander in the Navy's commando training unit, who was there on the morning of Simchas Torah, just two weeks after completing his previous posting.

When we asked where October 7 found him, Major A. recounted: "I was home after a flight from abroad and was called up along with quite a few of my colleagues because I was one of the more experienced commanders. We were rushed to Zikim beach."

We'll return to that morning shortly, but first I want to look forward.

"First, looking back, the entire army failed that morning, and we did too. Categorically," Major A. insisted. "But if I look at the process going forward over three years of war, I think we've managed to achieve significant things during this period. I mean in terms of the Gaza Strip throughout this entire time. I look at the generation arriving today with tremendous desire and courage to be commanders, and it's exciting and impressive to see that despite the heavy losses during the fighting. I believe in the nation and see the young generation coming to contribute and give of themselves. And that's not obvious after such a difficult period in Israeli society."

You've been in the Dvora system the whole time. Today, when you look at the submarines, what advantage and values do you see in service aboard this vessel?

"I think it's the most meaningful and best service as a combatant. It's a small craft of just over 27 meters. About 10-12 men live on it, and no matter if they woke up on the wrong side of the bed in the morning, they have to live together closely and tightly for the next 72 hours. It's an amazing place that speaks volumes about family, friendship, values, and living side by side, doing things for one another without expecting anything in return. I'm setting aside for a moment all the power it has as a vessel and fire platform, even though it's among the smallest in the Navy, it's among the most amazing in my eyes."

Let's return for a moment to your activity on the morning of October 7. What did you experience for the first time at Zikim?

"I'll take a few steps back. I woke up that morning to a phone call a little after six-thirty. My former flotilla commander called me and said, 'Get here, it's war now.' He told me not to ask questions and to get to Ashdod. On the way I'm hearing reports, vans in Sderot, a video I still have in my head of a vessel sailing and a Dvora firing toward it. I told my classmates that day that it's probably a drill. Slowly I began to understand that everything we'd trained for, everything we'd practiced scenarios for, was happening that morning and probably several times over what I was thinking."

"Until that moment I'd only been exposed to the Navy side, but upon arriving at the company, I understood there was much more than that. True, there was chaos and many vessels were out there, but that's their natural place. I remember the first 72 hours as very intense, without sleep, but from my perspective I didn't feel there was total chaos in communications, rather that everything was being managed, we were receiving missions and executing them. That we were in good communication among ourselves, I'm not talking about the other branches, I felt that we had synergy. Upon returning to shore we understood that something much bigger than we thought had happened. We were certain we were the main event of that day, but the battle at Zikim was only one of many that day."

"I came away with a very strong sense of guilt about wearing a uniform during this period, and a great deal of anger about what happened. A lot of tension and worry on one hand, and on the other hand a strong spirit among the fighters. Something crazy entered them. They were ready for any mission, they had a coolness under fire that I drew energy from, and finally after commanding the Dvora, I went out to be an additional commander on the vessel, and I looked not from the perspective of a vessel commander but as support, and I saw people with an amazing fighting spirit."

How do you see recruitment to the Navy during this period?

"I know there's a shortage of combatants in the army, and it's very noticeable. As an instructor within the commando course, we started with fewer people but we're still doing our best to get the maximum out. I can relate to this issue, but I don't feel it on my own skin right now. From the experiences I'm hearing in the company, we need people right now."

And what's your current challenge?

"Training the next commanders. This is the most basic training, which means they need to receive all the initial values before they reach the field companies. I think the most significant challenge is instilling in those fighters and commanders the right values and messages. We're three years after the morning of the battle and the war is still ongoing. It's very difficult to convey the message to those who weren't present during that period, and I think it's important that they be educated according to it. To work on all the norms required of a commander in the Navy."