JERUSALEM: Israel has begun investigating possible breaches of the law by its forces during the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, the military said on Tuesday, following reports some Israeli civilians may have been killed by friendly fire in the fighting.
The left-wing daily Haaretz said the investigation centered on an incident in Kibbutz Be’eri, one of the worst hit communities, in which a house was shelled by a tank, killing 12 Israeli hostages held by Palestinian Hamas gunmen.
It said the probe had been delayed due to the demands of the four-month-old war in Gaza but as fighting has slackened, army commanders felt the time had come for an investigation.
Asked to confirm the investigation would look at the incident, the Israel Defense Forces press desk sent a statement confirming the investigation was taking place, without offering further comment or details.
“The IDF is operating the Fact Finding and Assessment Mechanism (FFAM) to examine reports and complaints regarding the violation of Israeli and international law during the fighting,” the military said in a statement.
The statement said the fact-finding mission was in the initial stages but investigators had begun to collect materials.
Once an investigation is completed, all materials would be handed over to the Military Advocate General’s office, which would decide if there were grounds to open a military police investigation.
“The IDF is committed to conducting a thorough review and investigation,” the military said.
Around 1,200 Israelis and foreigners were killed in the attack by thousands of Hamas-led gunmen, according to Israeli tallies, the worst loss of life in a single day since Israel’s founding in 1948. More than 240 people were taken hostage.
Asked about the Be’eri incident, the Israeli military spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said the army was still focused on fighting in Gaza but was preparing its investigation.
“We will turn over every stone,” he told a regular press briefing. “We have started paving this path for learning and investigating. We will update.”
Israeli media have previously reported on the incident during the chaotic fighting in Be’eri, when witnesses have said a tank opened fire on a house where gunmen were holding 12 Israelis hostage.
In response to the attack, Israel launched an air and ground invasion of Gaza, which has so far killed more than 27,000 Palestinians, according to the health ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza, and reduced much of the enclave to rubble.
The attack by Hamas gunmen, who rampaged through communities around Gaza, has raised an array of questions about the readiness of the Israeli military which authorities have pledged to investigate fully once the fighting is over.
“It will be a difficult journey,” the Chief of the General Staff, General Herzi Halevi said, commenting on the wider investigation into the security failures that preceded the attack. “We will emerge on the other side strengthened and much better, and that is exactly what we need,” he said.
Israeli military opens probe into reports of Oct. 7 friendly fire deaths
https://arab.news/nyhdg
Israeli military opens probe into reports of Oct. 7 friendly fire deaths
- The probe had been delayed due to the demands of the four-month-old war in Gaza
- The Israel Defense Forces press desk sent a statement confirming the investigation was taking place
Aid mechanisms deployed to fill UN void in Yemen’s Houthi-controlled areas
- Upcoming donor conference in Jordan seen as pivotal opportunity to re-mobilize international support
ADEN: Humanitarian operations in Yemen are entering a new and more complex phase after the UN was forced to rely on alternative aid-delivery mechanisms in Houthi-controlled areas, following the closure of its offices and the seizure of its assets.
The move has reshaped relief efforts in one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
The shift comes as Amman prepares to host an international donor conference aimed at curbing the rapid deterioration in food security, amid warnings that hunger could spread to millions more people this year.
Recent humanitarian estimates show that about 22.3 million Yemenis — nearly half the population — will require some form of assistance in 2026, an increase of 2.8 million from last year. The rise reflects deepening economic decline and persistent restrictions on humanitarian work in conflict zones.
Aid sources say the UN is reorganizing its operations by transferring responsibility for distributing life-saving assistance to a network of partners, including international and local non-governmental organizations and the International Committee of the Red Cross, which continues to operate in those areas.
The transition aims to ensure continued access to food and medicine for the most vulnerable despite the absence of a direct UN presence, which has been undermined by restrictions imposed by the Houthis.
International agencies are increasingly adopting a “remote management” model to reduce risks to staff and maintain aid flows.
Relief experts caution, however, that this approach brings serious challenges, including limited field oversight and difficulties ensuring aid reaches beneficiaries without interference.
Humanitarian reports warn that operational constraints have already deprived millions of Yemenis of essential assistance at a time of unprecedented food insecurity.
More than 18 million people are suffering from acute hunger, with millions classified at emergency levels under international food security standards.
The upcoming donor conference in Jordan is seen as a pivotal opportunity to re-mobilize international support and address a widening funding gap that threatens to scale back critical humanitarian programs.
Discussions are expected to focus on new ways to deliver aid under security and administrative constraints and on strengthening the role of local partners with greater access to affected communities.
Yemen’s crisis extends beyond food.
The health sector is under severe strain, with about 40 percent of health facilities closed or at risk of closure due to funding shortages.
Women and girls are particularly affected as reproductive health services decline, increasing pregnancy and childbirth-related risks.
The World Health Organization has warned that deteriorating conditions have fueled outbreaks of preventable diseases amid falling immunization rates, with fewer than two-thirds of children receiving basic vaccines.
More than 18,600 measles cases and 188 deaths were recorded last year, while Yemen reported the world’s third-highest number of suspected cholera cases between March 2024 and November 2025.
