On 27 October, a senior Israeli military official reported that he had discovered a baby’s severed body in one of the kibbutz villages that Hamas had targeted on 7 October. Three days after the bombings, Colonel Golan Vach, the commander of the military search and rescue service disclosed that he found a mother’s body shielding a baby while looking through the wreckage at the Beeri kibbutz.
The officer informed, “When I pulled it over I saw a decapitated baby. I took it up with my hands and I carried it, and I put it in the body bag. I personally did it,” while on a military-organised media tour of another kibbutz.
Israeli officials initially corroborated the assertions that children had been beheaded when they first surfaced in media reports, but its spokesperson denied confirmation. US President Joe Biden also alluded to the beheading of infants, however, his administration subsequently stressed that he had not seen any pictures. The officer also addressed the reason behind the lack of genuine images or videos of babies with their heads removed which is often raised by Hamas supporters.
During a visit to the 700-person Kfar Aza kibbutz, which was completely destroyed in the bombings, the colonel updated reporters that ever since he made the horrifying discovery, people had been asking him about the absence of images. “People ask me how come you did not take a picture. I said, I am sorry, I have children. I have limitations. I have limits. I do not take a picture of a decapitated baby.”
Meanwhile, a paramedic from Israel’s elite rescue squad, Unit 669, was dispatched to save civilians in southern Israel in the early hours of the fateful day. The paramedic, who is referred to as ‘G’ because he requested anonymity mentioned to have seen Hamas terrorists infiltrate Israel. He described seeing an adolescent girl being raped by Hamas assailants and then executed in an interview with India Today TV. He branded the group as “barbarian savages” as a result of this occurrence and others.
He voiced that the possibility of a three-pronged assault from Gaza, Iran and Hezbollah exacerbates the situation in southern Israel. G noted that in spite of these difficulties, he and the other paramedics are devoted to their responsibility of protecting their nation. He declared, “Israel has always been a beacon of peace, willing to sacrifice for it.” He inquired if other nations would stand years of bombardment by missiles without striking back.
G added that he hoped Hamas would be pressured by the Iranian government to seek peace. He underlined how critical it is for nations to work together to fight terrorism and protect innocent citizens. A leading unit of Israel’s special forces, Unit 669 is also called the Special Tactics Rescue Unit.
According to Israel, Hamas attacked kibbutz communities, cities and military bases in southern Israel, killing 1,400 people and taking at least 229 hostages. The country proclaimed that shockingly many of the fatalities were women and children, however, the exact number was not provided. Hamas has refuted claims that its members killed infants during the cross-border operations, but evidence pointed to the opposite.
Hamas health ministry alleged 3,038 children were among the 7,326 individuals who died as a result of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since 7 October which happened in preparation for the much-anticipated ground assault. Both the United States and Israel have expressed doubts about the Hamas tolls.
