Netiv HaAsara massacre

The Netiv HaAsara massacre occurred during the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023. Thirty-five Hamas militants, some via paragliders and most via car, attacked Netiv HaAsara, an Israeli moshav close to the border fence. The militants killed at least 20 people, including in some cases members of the same family. Before the massacre, the moshav was home to approximately 900 residents.

Background
Netiv HaAsara, a moshav founded in 1982, is home to a population of 900. Following the Israeli disengagement from Gaza in 2005, Netiv HaAsara became the closest Israeli community to the Gaza Strip, situated 100 meters from the Palestinian towns of Beit Lahia and Beit Hanon. Residents in Netiv HaAsara have claimed to witness Hamas militants training.

Attack
As part of the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel on the morning of 7 October, 35 Hamas militants infiltrated Netiv HaAsara, 6 on motorized paragliders and the rest in cars through the breached Gaza–Israel barrier. At the time of the invasion, many residents had fled to their home's safe rooms after the initial rocket barrage at 6am local time. For the first two hours of the invasion, residents did not know that Hamas militants had entered Israeli territory due to the unavailability of power or internet access. The village's security team battled the attackers, and three were killed in the fighting, alongside 21 residents. At some point electricity in the village went out, leaving people trapped in safe rooms without power.

After six hours of the residents fighting with the invading Hamas gunmen, the Israel Defense Forces arrived in the moshav.