Israeli Helicopter, Not Hamas Shot at October 7 Concert Audience

A police investigation into the October 7 Hamas attack on the Nova festival in Israel has revealed that an IDF combat helicopter that arrived at the scene from the Ramat David base fired at he Hamas operatives and apparently also hit some of the revelers who were there.

While most of 4400 participants who attended fled before the Hamas operatives arrived, 364 people were killed, haaretz on November 18 reported quoting police sources.

Earlier, a social media posts on platform "X" by Megatron_ron alleged that an Israeli Apache helicopter targeted civilians, resulting in numerous burned and destroyed vehicles. Megatron claims IDF pilots struggled to distinguish between terrorists and civilians, accusing them of firing on everyone fleeing the concert with helicopters. The article mentions a video supporting this claim.

In contrast, Ynet news focuses on the Air Force's analysis of a surprise attack marking the Gaza conflict's onset. Combat helicopters launched from the north reached Gaza an hour after the conflict began. Enemy forces were instructed not to run, creating an illusion for IDF helicopters. Pilots, initially deceived, fired over fences and into settlements, attacking about 300 targets within four hours.

The Air Force's summary acknowledges challenges faced by ground fighters and air crews. Combat helicopters, on immediate alert for the Gaza Division, arrived at Otef over an hour after events began, raising coordination questions. Armed Zik drones played a vital role in countering enemy forces entering Israel. In a day, 28 combat helicopters fired ammunition, slowing down as pilots struggled to distinguish combatants from civilians.

Hamas's deliberate strategy involved instructing its forces to move slowly, deceiving helicopter pilots. This continued until Apache pilots bypassed restrictions around 9:00 a.m. Air crews improvised solutions through phone calls and WhatsApp messages. The IDF, focusing on creating a 3km buffer zone between Israel and Gaza Strip, aims to destroy Hamas organizations' capabilities.

The police investigation futher revealed that Hamas had no prior knowledge of the gathering at the music festival but came to know if it after they entered Israel.