Inside Israel's mission to train civilians to stop the next Oct 7-like terror attack

Magen48, in partnership with the Israel Defense Forces, is conducting training exercises for civilian security squads in southern Israeli communities near the Gaza border to prepare for terror attacks similar to October 7, 2023. These drills, like a recent one at Kibbutz Bror Hayil, simulate scenarios such as terrorist infiltration into a kindergarten, emphasizing coordinated response, communication, and safe evacuation. Magen48, co-founded by counterterrorism expert Ehud Dribben, Ari Briggs, and Mike Aron, has trained 1,500 civilians and aims to provide 12 annual training days to each of the 67 Gaza Envelope communities, having conducted over 550 sessions to date. Instructor T. noted the training addresses the varied experience levels within squads and emphasizes teamwork, as "Whoever ran alone was not able to fend off terrorists."