The Israeli military has confirmed that 60 year old avocado farmer Ofer Moskovitz was tragically killed by his own country’s artillery fire during a mission intended to protect northern border communities.
While officials and media outlets initially blamed a direct hit from a Hezbollah anti-tank missile, a military investigation revealed that five shells were fired at the wrong angle due to several severe issues and operational errors.
The investigation, led by Northern Command chief Major General Rafi Milo, found that the artillery unit was attempting to assist troops operating in southern Lebanon when the shells landed inside the kibbutz of Misgav Am.
The shells accidentally hit the Misgav Am ridge instead of their intended targets across the border, striking a home and two vehicles, including the car driven by Moskovitz at the time of the incident.
No warning sirens had sounded before the impact, which ignited a fire that engulfed the vehicles and forced rescue teams to pull the victim’s body from the wreckage.
Major General Milo described the case as a very severe incident, noting that Moskovitz was killed by the very forces whose mission was to ensure the safety of residents in the Galilee Panhandle.
The IDF expressed deep regret over the tragedy and extended condolences to the Moskovitz family and the Misgav Am community, promising a transparent follow-up review of the failure.
Moskovitz, a well known kibbutz spokesman who managed 100 acres of avocado groves, had recently described life on the border as a game of Russian roulette in a radio interview just days before his death.
His brother, Roni Moskovitz, told reporters that the family holds no bitterness toward the military, acknowledging that such heart breaking accidents can occur during the chaos of active warfare.
The incident marks the first confirmed Israeli civilian death along the Lebanon border during the current ground offensive, highlighting the extreme risks faced by farmers working in the shadow of the conflict.
As the military studies the findings of the probe, lawmakers and local leaders are demanding stricter safety protocols to prevent similar friendly fire tragedies as the war continues to escalate.