IDF Chief at Zikim: Seven soldiers fell defending base Oct 7

Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir led a combat memorial ceremony at Zikim base, marking three years since the October 7 massacre. The ceremony was attended by the General Staff Forum, families of the fallen from the battle at Zikim, and those wounded in the fighting.

"We have gathered today at Zikim base, one of the focal points of combat where our commanders and soldiers stood on the front line against the enemy's assault," he said during the ceremony. "We remember the commanders and soldiers who fought here with determination to protect the recruits under their command; the stubborn battles in the communities and on the roads; and all the fallen and murdered whose lives were cut short on that difficult morning, and the hostages taken captive."

Following the ceremony, a tour of the base was held, during which the story of the battle at Zikim was presented to the forum by Head of Home Front Command Staff, Brig.-Gen. Elad Edri, who commanded the rescue brigade on October 7.

The IDF probe determined that Zikim base was not captured in the surprise attack, thanks to the stubborn fighting and heroism of the command staff and fighters of Tabor Company against the many terrorists. Quick identification of the event, the forces' recovery, and their early deployment created the necessary conditions for defending the base.

The company commander's decision to reinforce the defensive positions with commanders, alongside the assumption of command and battle management by his deputy after his fall, enabled the forces to block the terrorists' penetration and disrupt their plan to capture the camp and carry out a killing and kidnapping spree.

Memorial ceremony of the General Staff Forum at Zikim base marking three years since the October 7 massacre (Photo: IDF Spokesperson)

Seven soldiers and commanders fell in the battles defending Zikim base, and one civilian woman and nine additional soldiers were wounded. The fallen in battle: Maj. Adir Meir Ovadia hy"d, Capt. Or Moses hy"d, Lt. Adar Ben Simon hy"d, Lt. Yanai Kaminka hy"d, Staff Sgt. Eden Alon Levi hy"d, Staff Sgt. Omri Niv Firstein hy"d, and Cpl. Neriya Aharon Negari hy"d.

The probe's findings show that the fighting at Zikim base took place in five locations, three of them at the base's perimeter, one guard post and two entry positions, and two inside the base. The forces eliminated the two terrorists who penetrated the base's grounds, as well as at least nine additional terrorists during the fighting at the various positions.

In the five days following October 7, fighters of the rescue brigade continued to battle terrorists who attempted to attack the camp. During the fighting in those days, the fighters eliminated terrorists in close-range encounters.

In the order of the day published by Chief of Staff Zamir, he acknowledged the army's failure: "On October 7, Simchas Torah, our borders were breached in a bloody assault. The IDF failed in its supreme mission to protect the citizens of the State of Israel." The Chief of Staff emphasized the obligation placed on the military command to conduct soul-searching and investigate the failure.

"Today, three years later, an entire nation bows its head and mourns," the Chief of Staff noted. "We remember the civilians murdered in their homes, the young men and women who went out to dance and did not return, those who were kidnapped and murdered in captivity, the male and female fighters and the soldiers who fell, the security forces personnel, the standby squads and rescue teams, who went out into the inferno and fell in battle."

The battle at Zikim base is a story of command, heroism and comradeship, of commanders and fighters who stood at the front against the surprise attack, held to their mission, and led the fighting until the enemy was stopped.