The Israeli military has published the findings of a first probe into its own security failings during the 7 October Hamas attack, acknowledging it had not protected the citizens of one of the worst hit communities, Kibbutz Be'eri.
More than 100 people were killed in the attack on Be'eri, a community of about 1,000 people, and 32 taken hostage to Gaza,11 of whom are still there.
The probe examined the day's chain of events, fighting and security forces' conduct, the military said.
Some of the details have already been revealed by Reuters and other media in the weeks after the attack.
While acknowledging its own failure in protecting the kibbutz civilians, the military hailed the bravery of Be'eri residents, including its rapid response team, who despite being outnumbered, tried to repel the militants who attacked.
Israel's military was unprepared for the scenario of a massive infiltration of militants into Israel, had inadequate forces in the area, did not have a clear picture of the events until noon, a few hours after the attack began, did not properly alert Be'eri's residents and its fighting was uncoordinated, the investigation found.
The probe, however, did not find fault in tank fire toward a house where militants were holding some 15 people hostage, an incident that has drawn criticism in Israel for having put civilians in harm's way.
"After shooting was heard from the house and the terrorists announced their intent to kill themselves and the hostages, the forces decided to storm it in order to save the hostages," the military's summary said.
"The team found that the civilians inside the house were not hurt by the tank shells," the summary said.
However, further investigation is needed to determine how hostages inside died, with signs pointing to them having been killed by the gunmen.
The military presented the report to Be'eri's residents, many of whom are among the tens of thousands of Israelis still displaced since 7 October.
"I didn't need all these details," said Miri Gad Mesika, a kibbutz member.
"What matters to me is why what happened happened, how we can prevent it from happening again, how we can bring back our hostages and how we can feel secure again," she added.
Call for state inquiry
Meanwhile Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant called for a state inquiry into failings around the 7 October attack, saying it should investigate Mr Gallant himself and his boss, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Mr Gallant made the comments at a graduation ceremony for new military officers, also attended by Mr Netanyahu, whose coalition government is already strained by infighting.
The state inquiry, he said, "must be objective, it needs to investigate all of us, those who make decisions and those who carry them out, the government, the military and the security agencies".
"It must investigate me, the defence minister, it must investigate the prime minister," Mr Gallant said, to cheers from the crowd.
Mr Netanyahu has dismissed past calls to form a state inquiry into the 7 October attack, which caught Israel off guard and prompted the war in Gaza, saying that examinations into what happened should be carried out once the war ends.
Only the government can decide to form a state commission of inquiry, which has a broad mandate and its findings carry weight.
The chief justice of the Supreme Court chooses its members.
Mr Gallant has broken ranks with Mr Netanyahu before.
Last year, after months of nationwide protests against government plans to curb supreme court powers, Mr Gallant said proposed legislation should be dropped, warning the public dispute could hurt national security.
Mr Netanyahu immediately fired him, spurring tens of thousands of Israelis to take to the streets in support of Mr Gallant.
The prime minister eventually relented and Mr Gallant kept his job.
Mr Gallant has since clashed with Mr Netanyahu over Gaza strategy, prompting some members of their Likud party to call for him to be dismissed from his post.
