The Tekuma (revival) management team charged with the reconstruction of Be’eri, approved this morning (Thursday) the recovery plan for Kibbutz Be’eri, which includes restoration for approximately 500 buildings damaged in the events of October 7, infrastructure rehabilitation, and the demolition and rebuilding of structures and public buildings. The plan, amounting to 470 million shekels, includes the establishment of new neighborhoods and is expected to be completed by August 2026, according to an update from Nitzan Shapira.
It is worth noting that in August, the National Council for Planning and Building granted a special order for the quick recovery of the kibbutz through an exemption from planning and permits. The order permitted the establishment of a new residential neighborhood and the rehabilitation of the Ashlim neighborhood that was destroyed in the terror attack, all through an expedited process. This order will be the first of its kind and will pave the way for the rehabilitation of communities in the Gaza envelope that were affected on October 7, using a quick process that allows for exemptions from planning and building permits, which usually take a long time.
In the massacre on October 7, Kibbutz Be’eri suffered the most severe losses in terms of lives and property. At the beginning of the surprise attack on Israel, more than a hundred armed terrorists from the Hamas terrorist organization infiltrated the kibbutz, overwhelmed the Emergency Response Team and the First Responders called to the scene, and carried out a massacre of the kibbutz residents, over 100 of whom were killed, along with 26 security personnel. That day, more than 32 residents were kidnapped to the Gaza Strip, some of whom were murdered after their abduction.
The massacre also involved children, disabled individuals, and elderly people from Gaza who came to the kibbutz after Hamas took control and assisted in looting and murder. The terrorists set fire to buildings and areas within the kibbutz, causing extensive destruction. Later, large military and police forces managed to breach the kibbutz gates and fought under the command of Brigadier General Barak Hiram, in intense fighting that lasted until Monday afternoon, resulting in the deaths of 30 fighters, and ultimately, the kibbutz was cleared of terrorists.
Residents of Kibbutz Be’eri announced in November 2023 that they chose to temporarily relocate to a neighborhood in nearby Hatzarim, and now, with the transfer of the budget for the recovery plan, the kibbutz is preparing to return home and revive the desolation.
