A major reason Hamas launched the Al-Aqsa Flood operation was to take Israeli captives that could be exchanged for the thousands of Palestinians held captive in Israeli prisons. But Israeli forces were determined to prevent Hamas from taking captives back to Gaza, even if this meant killing the captured civilians.
An investigation of Israel’s long-controversial Hannibal Directive concludes that “from the point of view of the army, a dead soldier is better than a captive soldier who himself suffers and forces the state to release thousands of captives in order to obtain his release.”
Yes, Israeli eye witness testimonies point to the Israeli military shelling homes in the be’eri settlement with tank fire, firing onto festival goers from helicopters, and shooting at Al Qassam operators with Israeli civilians in the way. Israel confirmed that 200 of the 400 burnt bodies found were not israeli, meaning that israel bombed both Al Qassam operators and 200 of their own civilians during the operation, killing them and burning their bodies.
Additionally, the initial civilian casualties on the Israeli side were also largely self-inflicted due to their indiscriminate use of force:
https://popularresistance.org/how-israeli-forces-trapped-and-killed-ravers-at-the-nova-festival/
Yes, Israeli eye witness testimonies point to the Israeli military shelling homes in the be’eri settlement with tank fire, firing onto festival goers from helicopters, and shooting at Al Qassam operators with Israeli civilians in the way. Israel confirmed that 200 of the 400 burnt bodies found were not israeli, meaning that israel bombed both Al Qassam operators and 200 of their own civilians during the operation, killing them and burning their bodies.