IDF Probe: Friendly Fire Killed Ofer "Foshko" Moskowitz at Misgav Am

The IDF announced this morning (Monday) that the death of Ofer "Foshko" Moskowitz, a resident and spokesperson of the kibbutzMisgav Am in Israel’s Galilee Panhandle, was the result of accidental friendly fire during artillery fire toward Lebanon. The military’s investigation found that a range-calculation error by a nearby artillery battery led to several shells landing inside the kibbutz.

Moskowitz’s body was found yesterday morning inside his vehicle, which caught fire after the strike. Responding teams pronounced him dead at the scene. At first, authorities examined whether it was caused by a rocket or a mortar shell.

Last night, the IDF said a comprehensive investigation was underway, including the possibility that it was friendly fire. The statement read: "The IDF is conducting a probe by all relevant bodies following the fire toward Misgav Am this morning, which resulted in the death of an Israeli civilian. The possibility that this was IDF fire is being examined. The IDF shares in the family’s grief at this difficult time and is in direct contact with the kibbutz."

In the Misgav Am community, people struggled to process the loss of one of its most recognizable figures. The kibbutz announced: "Foshko. Spokesperson, farmer, friend, symbol, and legacy for all of us. Throughout the years, he was our most prominent voice. We send heartfelt condolences and a strong embrace to his family and to the entire Misgav Am community. The Galilee will not look the same without him. May his memory be a blessing."