An IDF investigation reveals that the target attacked in Gaza in Operation Black Belt, killing 8 civilians, was approved by the Southern Command in June - and military activity took place there.

• Building bombed by IDF in Gaza // Photo: IP

An IDF investigation released Tuesday states that while planning and carrying out the attack on Deir al-Balah during the "black belt" military operations, during which eight uninvolved civilians were killed last month, the target was identified as a military compound by the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization. "The idea was that civilians would not be attacked.

It was also found that the target was approved by the Southern Command last June, according to the intelligence assessment, and then, according to the IDF process, was attacked several times, the last of which was several days before its attack.

The investigation indicates that the target was discriminated against by the gathering and research activity, as a military compound of the GOP terrorist organization and carried out by it in the past, as well as during the "black belt" battle days. The investigation revealed that although the attack was a military activity, it was not a compound Civilians were also closed and in practice, several recommendations were received to summarize as far as possible the possibility that such exceptional events would be repeated.

The IDF noted that the operation of the "black belt" fire, which was accurate and was extinguished throughout the fighting days, reduced efforts to reduce the casualties, while the terrorist organization fighting the IDF exploited its civilian population by closely integrating its military assets From a dense civil environment.

This past week, the Chief of Staff, Maj. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, summarized black belt investigations. The Chief of Staff accepted the findings of the investigations and summarized a number of guidelines in the field of power building and operation.

The central conclusion of the investigation is that the "Black Belt" program met its purpose - creating conditions to improve the reality in the Gaza Strip, by thwarting Baha 'Abu al-'Ata, terrorist attacks by the GOP terrorist organization and its military infrastructure, reducing the damage to civilians From towing to a wide campaign.

In both days of the battle, about 25 terrorist operatives were engaged in the execution of terrorist activities in the form of rocket fire and more complex terrorist attacks. In addition, some 100 infrastructure targets of the organization were attacked, including IDF production sites and military posts. As a result of this operation, which was based on complex and intensive intelligence preparation processes undertaken in recent months, significant damage to Islamic Jihad has been inflicted.

In terms of defense, air defense fighters intercepted the vast majority of rockets fired at Israeli residents at a success rate of about 90%. At the same time, defense efforts led by the Gaza Division prevented complex attacks in the fence area.