Be’eri Survivor Warns Hamas Will Not Disarm, Says Israel Must Show Determination

Avida Bachar, who lost his wife and son in the October 7 massacre, warns that any Gaza arrangement leaving Hamas entrenched near Israeli communities risks another disaster.

Avida Bachar, a survivor of the October 7 massacre at Kibbutz Be’eri who lost his wife and son in the Hamas attack, is warning Israel against accepting a future for Gaza that leaves the terror group in place.

Speaking to 103FM about a proposed framework for Gaza and the future security of communities near the border, Bachar said he does not believe Hamas will voluntarily disarm.

“Hamas continues to grow stronger. They are talking about some kind of agreement that supposedly leaves Hamas disarmed. That is not going to happen.”

Warning of Another October 7

Bachar said Israel must demonstrate far greater determination in preventing Hamas from remaining a threat just kilometers from Israeli homes.

For residents of Be’eri and other Gaza-border communities, he argued, the danger is not theoretical. Hamas terrorists crossed into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, murdering civilians and taking hostages in an attack that devastated communities including Be’eri.

Bachar warned that leaving a hostile force close to the border could eventually allow terrorists to attempt another massacre.

“They will drive another three minutes, or a minute and a half, on the road to Be’eri and the communities surrounding Gaza for the next massacre. And tomorrow it could happen in Tel Aviv as well.”

“That is the real problem,” he added. “We are not moving forward at all.”

Bachar Calls for Fundamental Change in Gaza

Bachar advocated removing Hamas from Gaza and went further, calling for Gaza’s Arab population to leave the territory with international involvement. He said he does not seek renewed Israeli settlement in Gaza, but believes the situation that existed before October 7 cannot be restored.

“I do not want to settle there. But I certainly do not want it to remain theirs. And right now, they are still there.”

His comments reflect the deep security concerns that remain among Israelis who survived the October 7 assault and continue to live only a few kilometers from Gaza.

Trump, Netanyahu and Israeli Determination

Bachar also discussed understandings between U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, arguing that Israel must demonstrate the determination necessary to secure fundamental changes on the ground.

“If we were determined, it would happen,” Bachar said, questioning whether Israel is doing enough to ensure that the conditions that enabled October 7 can never return.

No Plans to Enter Politics

Bachar also revealed that he received an offer from Likud involving a reserved place on the party’s electoral list, but said he has no intention of entering politics under circumstances that conflict with his views on responsibility and leadership.

“I reject it completely. Right now, I am rebuilding my home, my family and my kibbutz.”

For Bachar, the central issue remains the future security of Be’eri and Israel’s other Gaza-border communities. His warning is clear: after October 7, Israel cannot afford to rely on promises that Hamas will disarm while the terror group remains entrenched next door.