| Nahal Oz Junction

In a surprise attack a number of terrorists attempted to infiltrate Kibbutz Sa'ad. Because the kibbutz gate was closed and the kibbutz emergency response team had been alerted and began shooting at the terrorists, the residents were not harmed. The battle raged for three to four hours. According to some assessments, the terrorists who attacked Kibbutz Sa'ad were all killed by the emergency response team.

The emergency response team deployed across the kibbutz fences. After some time, a shot-up vehicle appeared, driven by a lieutenant colonel who had been shot multiple times while driving on Route 232. The emergency response team recognized the vehicle, brought the officer into the kibbutz through the back gate and administered initial medical treatment. Concurrently, dozens of vehicles full of partygoers fleeing the Nova festival began arriving at the main gate of the kibbutz. The emergency response team administered initial medical treatment and brought hundreds of partygoers into the kibbutz.

In view of this, the emergency response team decided to block access to Road 232 leading from Sa'ad to Sderot, directing vehicles towards Netivot. In retrospect, this decision prevented hundreds of additional losses. Around 200 wounded partygoers found shelter at Kibbutz Sa'ad that Saturday, and dozens if not hundreds of vehicles that arrived at the Sa'ad intersection were diverted to Netivot.

As the terrorists began to approach the kibbutz fences from the direction of Kibbutz Be'eri and Kfar Aza, the "miracle of the tank" occurred. A lone tank appeared out of nowhere and eliminated dozens of terrorists at the kibbutz entrance.

Kfar Aza was the site of the fiercest battles in the region. More than 10% of the kibbutz members (117) were murdered on that day and 18 were abducted. Twenty-two residents of other communities in the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council were also murdered.