Kibbutz Mefalsim, located in the north-west Negev desert, was established in 1949 by immigrants from Argentina and Uruguay. The name “Mefalsim” means “to clear a path” and thus the kibbutz in named after immigrants from Latin America who cleared the path for others to make aliyah. The kibbutz is currently evacuated.
On the morning of October 7, between 25 and 30 terrorists belonging to the terrorist organization Hamas, riding in vans and motorcycles, arrived at the entrance to Kibbutz Mefalsim near the northern Gaza Strip, and murdered several civilians. After that they blew up the main gate and entered the kibbutz with the aim of carrying out a massacre there. Near the kibbutz dairy farm, the terrorists kidnapped a group of Thai workers, but released them after being shot at by the kibbutz standby squad. Additional terrorists attacked the kibbutz from three locations, and were successfully repelled by the kibbutz’s standby squad.
Kibbutz Mefalsim was also one of the first kibbutzim to build an extension neighborhood and accept new members. Hence, the kibbutz also cleared the path for other kibbutzim to follow in their wake and build more kibbutz extension neighborhoods, marking one of the biggest changes of the kibbutz society.
Photos: Kibbutz Mefalsim, Rikmal / CC BY-SA
