Israeli official: The October 7 infant killing incident never happened

An Israeli official denied what a senior Israeli army officer reported about the killing of 8 Israeli infants in Kibbutz Be’eri, during Hamas attack on the settlements adjacent to the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023.

According to Haaretz newspaper who quoted statements from a spokesman for the Be’eri kibbutz, on Sunday, in which he denied these allegations.

“Nearly 100 people were killed on Kibbutz Be’eri, and the community suffered hundreds of tragic incidents on that Black Saturday (October 7) over the past months, especially regarding hostages,” the official said.

He added, “However, incidents such as the killing of 8 children (infants) or a Holocaust survivor named Jenny didn’t happen”.

For its part, Haaretz said, “Lieutenant Colonel Guy Basson, deputy commander of the Kfir Brigade, claimed that 8 infants were killed in the nursery, and that a Holocaust survivor named Jenia was also killed”.

Haaretz denied what Basson reported, saying, “These incidents described in the interview with Israeli Channel 14, which was broadcast on Saturday evening, never happened”.

During the interview on Channel 14, Basson said, “We arrived at Kibbutz Be’eri, and I faced two main scenarios… One was from a nursery, where they were simply slaughtered and killed”.

When asked, “Did you see the children inside?”

he replied, “8 children, 8 dead children”.

He later added, “The other image that remained stuck in my mind was Genia, of blessed memory, an elderly woman from Kibbutz Be’eri… I see the number engraved on her arm, and you say to yourself; She went through the Holocaust in Auschwitz (the Holocaust) and ended up dying in Kibbutz Be’eri”.

But the Haaretz newspaper pointed out that there is no Holocaust survivor named Jinya in Be’eri.

Haaretz said, “As far as we know, no one with that name has ever lived in the kibbutz”.

“In addition, none of the victims of the Be’eri massacre (Hamas attack) were Holocaust survivors”.

Haaretz quoted the Israeli army commenting on these allegations, “The events in question will be investigated and examined… It wasn’t our intention to describe a reality that didn’t happen, and we apologize if anyone felt offended… We’ll set the record straight and make it clear to all relevant leaders in the media effort”.

In turn, Channel 14 refused to respond to the allegations presented to Basson, according to Haaretz.