ISRAEL-GAZA BORDER: "Fire, fire, fire!" shouts a member of Kibbutz Bror Hayil’s local security squad, pointing his weapon at a fellow participant acting as a terrorist.The kibbutz is located adjacent to the Gaza border, from where thousands of Hamas-led Palestinians invaded Israel and massacred some 1,200 people on Oct.
7, 2023.The exercise, attended by Fox News Digital, was the eighth training session conducted by Magen48 in partnership with the Israel Defense Forces — a full-scale drill involving the local civilian defense squad designed to prepare southern Israeli communities for scenarios similar to Oct.7.One of the scenarios simulated terrorists infiltrating the kibbutz kindergarten.
With IDF forces en route, the civil defense squad had to respond while accounting for the presence of children, limited visibility and the need to neutralize the attackers while ensuring a safe evacuation.During the exercise, a simulated grenade detonated, injuring one member of the civil defense squad in the leg, while the others succeeded in neutralizing the terrorists.HAMAS SAYS IT WILL DISSOLVE GAZA GOVERNMENT, BUT ISRAEL WARNS GROUP STILL SEEKS HEZBOLLAH-STYLE CONTROLA member of Kibbutz Bror Hayil's civil defense squad who participates in the drill runs to respond to the simulated terror infiltration in Kibbutz Bror Hayil - July 8th, 2026.
(Amelie Botbol for Fox News Digital)In earlier sessions, participants learned to operate weapons from behind cover while sitting, lying down, standing and moving.They are also trained to work in pairs and larger groups while developing communication skills.
The exercises grew increasingly complex, with teams conducting drills inside buildings and responding to continuous emergency alerts.Because the exercise took place inside a civilian community, no live ammunition was used.All weapons and equipment were secured to prevent accidental discharge.
Residents were notified in advance of the drill.Among the 47 participants were IDF soldi...