"I am bringing the forces to readiness": Correspondence reveals IDF knew about the hike preceding the attack

Correspondence from the night preceding the deadly incident in Samaria on Friday, in which Benyahu Malet was murdered and Major Yuval Ezra fell, indicates that officials in the IDF were aware of the planned hike in the Havat Gilad area. Although the event was not approved through the required channels, the correspondence obtained by ynet shows that residents of Havat Gilad—who were not among the organizers—contacted operational military officials in the field to update them on the route and timing. Despite the clear need for an armed escort, this was not provided.

Starting Thursday evening, nearly a day before the hike, WhatsApp conversations took place between the Havat Gilad security officer (Rabashatz) and a military official in the Samaria Brigade. At 20:00, the military official forwarded a message asking: "Are you aware of a hike organized in the Havat Gilad sector for tomorrow? From 5:00 to 11:00, passing through Burin, Jit and other places." The security officer answered negatively. Realizing there were information gaps and that security might be neglected, he wrote at 00:50: "What do you know? Is there a contact person?". The military official replied in a recorded message: "The truth, brother, is that I don't know anything; no contact person, nothing."

At 00:55, the security officer located the distributed message about the hike and sent the full route to the military official. The response was a short recording: "Nice, nice, nice." Simultaneously, the security officer corresponded with another operational official in the brigade who was in the field. At 01:43, he sent the detailed route. At 01:51, the official asked: "Will they have armed people with them?". The security officer replied: "I believe so, I don't know for sure. I am trying to update them in case of an emergency, currently without success." At 01:53, the official answered: "Understood. I am bringing my forces to readiness."

The transcript shows that the Havat Gilad security officer, who had no connection to the hike's organization, identified the danger and spent the night trying to warn the military and establish contact with the hikers. When the incident flared up, farm residents rushed to help. The security officer was seriously wounded, and standby squad member Benyahu Malet was shot to death.

The group set out at 05:30. Near the village of Tell, they encountered Palestinians, leading to a confrontation. Members of the Havat Gilad standby squad and a small IDF force were called to the scene. A Palestinian snatched an M-16 rifle and opened fire. In the incident, a standby squad member, Major Ezra, and four Palestinians were killed, including the terrorist. The IDF stated: "The IDF shares in the grief of the bereaved families. The hike was not approved or coordinated through required channels. The details of the attack are being deeply investigated, and findings will be presented to the families."