After the security coordinator’s weapon was seized, Ezra, Melet, and the security coordinator charged the terrorists at close range to protect the civilians and neutralize the attackers.
By United with Israel Staff
An IDF investigation into the deadly July 24 terrorist attack near the village of Tel in Samaria praised the extraordinary heroism of Maj. Yuval Ezra and Capt. (res.) Benyahu Melet, concluding that their actions saved Israeli civilians, while also identifying a series of serious operational failures that contributed to the tragedy.
The attack claimed the lives of Ezra, a battery commander in the 411th Battalion, and Melet, a member of the Havat Gilad emergency response team, after Palestinian terrorists ambushed a group of Israeli hikers near the village. Several civilians and the community’s security coordinator were also injured in the attack.
According to the investigation, the hiking trip took place without the required coordination or approval from security authorities, despite intelligence received hours earlier indicating a potential security concern. Surveillance troops first identified Palestinians throwing rocks at the hikers, prompting the deployment of an initial military force to escort the group.
As the confrontation escalated, Ezra rushed to the scene with additional soldiers. Melet and the nearby community’s security coordinator also immediately responded, placing themselves between the attackers and the civilians in an effort to push the terrorists back toward the village.
During the battle, after the security coordinator’s weapon was seized, Ezra, Melet, and the security coordinator charged the terrorists at close range to protect the civilians and neutralize the attackers. The investigation found that Ezra fought his way directly into the engagement and killed one of the terrorists before being killed in the firefight.
The probe determined that all of the terrorists involved in the attack were ultimately eliminated or captured. Several were killed by forces at the scene, including an IDF platoon commander and two off-duty soldiers who joined the fighting, while two wounded terrorists were captured hours later during a daylight raid on a hospital in Shchem (Nablus).
Investigators were unable to determine conclusively whether Melet was killed by terrorist fire or by friendly fire during efforts to neutralize the attackers.
While commending the bravery displayed by the fallen officers and other responders, the investigation identified several significant operational shortcomings. It found that the initial military force was too small relative to the number of attackers and civilians, that commanders failed to quickly build a full operational picture or dispatch sufficient reinforcements and medical teams, and that evacuation procedures broke down during the battle.
The investigation described as a “serious failure” the fact that after Ezra was evacuated from the scene, Melet remained critically wounded on the battlefield for several long minutes, receiving treatment only from a civilian medic without any military force protecting him. The IDF said the incident “does not align with the values of the IDF” or with its ethical obligation to place the safety of civilians above that of military personnel.
Despite the operational failures, Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth said the actions of Ezra and Melet prevented a far larger massacre.
“Their determined actions prevented much greater harm,” Bluth said, noting that both officers deliberately moved toward the terrorists to shield civilians despite the overwhelming danger.
The investigation also found that such attacks in open areas near Palestinian villages have become increasingly common and instructed commanders to treat them as a likely operational scenario requiring improved planning, intelligence gathering, force readiness, and rapid medical response.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir adopted the investigation’s findings and ordered the lessons to be implemented immediately across the military.
Calling the attack “a difficult act of terrorism in which we lost two precious fighters,” Zamir praised Ezra and Melet for charging into battle and saving lives.
“Yuval and Benyahu charged into the fight, displayed exceptional combat spirit, and prevented far greater harm to the hikers,” Zamir said. “We will continue to investigate every incident professionally in order to improve and strengthen our readiness. This is how the IDF operates, and this is how we will continue to operate.”
On the recommendation of the head of the IDF Personnel Directorate, Zamir also approved the posthumous promotion of Benyahu Melet to the rank of captain (res.), noting that he had been in the process of completing officer training at the time of his death.
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