Kfar Aza massacre
| Kfar Aza massacre | |
|---|---|
| Part of the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel | |
Kfar Aza family home after the attack | |
Site of the attack in Israel | |
| Location | Kfar Aza, Southern District, Israel |
| Coordinates | 31°29′1″N 34°32′2″E / 31.48361°N 34.53389°E |
| Date | 7 October 2023 |
Attack type | Mass shooting, mass murder, decapitation (alleged), dismemberment, immolation |
| Deaths | 80 Israelis (including 24 security forces) 150+ Palestinian militants |
| Perpetrator | al-Qassam Brigades National Resistance Brigades |
On 7 October 2023, around 250 Hamas and other Palestinian militants attacked Kfar Aza, a kibbutz about 3 kilometers (1.9 mi) from the border with the Gaza Strip, massacring residents and abducting several hostages.
Kfar Aza had more than 700 residents prior to the attack, and it took two days for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to regain full control of the area. At least 62 residents, including a 15-year old, were killed during the attack, and a further 19 were taken hostage.
The attack is notable for claims of brutality in the form of beheadings, dismemberment, and victims having been burned alive. Claims by Israeli media and government sources advancing that 40 babies had been decapitated went viral. While a massacre of civilians did occur, a few of the most lurid claims, including the baby decapitations, were later found to be false.