IDF probe finds farmer killed in north was hit by Israeli shelling, not Hezbollah

A military investigation found Monday that 60-year-old Ofer Moskovitz, a farmer killed while driving in the northern border community of Misgav Am the day before, was hit by errant Israeli artillery shelling, and not by a Hezbollah attack.

The IDF said that the investigation, led by Northern Command chief Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo and other senior officers, found that Moskovitz was killed by artillery shelling that was intended to assist troops operating in southern Lebanon.

The investigation found “several severe issues and operational errors” in the planning and firing of the artillery shells.

“The shelling was carried out at an incorrect angle and not in accordance with required procedures. As a result, five shells struck the Misgav Am ridge instead of enemy targets,” the military said.

The IDF said the investigation’s conclusions will be “reviewed by all of the relevant bodies.”

“Moskovitz was killed by our own forces’ fire during an operation whose entire purpose was to protect them,” Milo said, describing the case as a “very severe incident.”

The IDF said it informed his family of the findings, “expresses its regret over the incident and extends its deep condolences to the Moskovitz family and the Misgav Am community at this difficult time. ”

A further investigation into the incident is planned, which the military said will be presented “with full transparency” to Moskovitz’s family and later to the public.

Moskowitz’s brother, Roni, told the Kan public broadcaster that the military did not speak directly to the family, but apparently only updated the kibbutz on the probe’s findings.

But the sibling said he did not have any bitterness towards the IDF.

“These kinds of things happen in a war,” he said. “We, as a family, and certainly I, personally, are not looking to blame people. This is something that happened, and the loss of Ofer is a loss no matter what, and that is what we are focused on.”

Roni said he first became aware that something had gone wrong when he began to receive messages of concern over Ofer’s whereabouts as the community realized that someone had been hurt.

“Then I got a telephone call from my sister that someone from the kibbutz said it was apparently Ofer,” he recalled. “It took us about two hours from that moment until the picture became clear and we received confirmation.”

He said it was like being “in a bad film and hoping that you will wake up from it, but it doesn’t happen.”

The incident came as Israel’s border communities continued to absorb regular attacks from the Hezbollah terror group.

No warning sirens had sounded when the projectile that killed Moskovitz struck the kibbutz.

It ignited a fire that engulfed two vehicles. Moskovitz’s body was pulled from one of them, according to first responders in the Magen David Adom emergency service.

Moskovitz was an active member of the kibbutz who managed its 400 dunams (100 acres) of avocado groves. He was eulogized by the community as “a prominent voice for us all over the years.”

Speaking to The Times of Israel last week, Moskovitz said the northern community was largely staying put despite being well aware of the danger emanating from across the Lebanon border.

“It’s dangerous, and it’s stressful, but there’s nothing to do about it,” said Moskovitz.

Israel and the US launched their campaign against Iran on February 28 in a bid to destabilize the regime and destroy its nuclear and ballistic missile capacities. Iran has responded with missile and drone strikes across the region, and its proxies in Iraq and Lebanon have also carried out attacks, with Israel launching massive airstrikes in Lebanon in response to the Hezbollah terror group’s rocket barrages.

Since the war began, 15 civilians and foreign nationals have been killed in Israel in Iranian missile attacks, along with four Palestinians in the West Bank. Two soldiers have also been killed in a Hezbollah attack.