Israel Defense Forces overhaul Gaza border community security

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has implemented significant changes to the security protocols of Israeli communities located along the Gaza border. These updates aim to apply lessons learned from the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks to prevent similar incursions in the future.

A central component of this overhaul is the “Hagmar” (regional defense) framework. This system utilizes IDF reservists living within the communities to provide local defense in uniform. They work alongside the “kitat konenut,” which are civilian first-response teams made up of local volunteers, and the “ravshatz,” a civilian coordinator who works directly with the IDF.

Under the new system, communities are classified based on their proximity to the border. Frontline communities receive more substantial defensive resources to ensure they can provide an immediate response to security incidents. The scale of these defense formations varies by community size, with larger areas like Sderot maintaining more significant formations than smaller communities such as Kfar Aza.