A mainline Israeli news station is reporting that the bodies of 40 babies have been found in the town of Kfar Aza following the invasion by Hamas militants on Saturday.

According to i24 news, the babies were being carried out on gurneys, with some of them having been beheaded. 

i24NEWS Correspondent @Nicole_Zedek reports from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, a quarter-mile from the Gaza border, and recounts the atrocities that were committed in the small community which remains an active scene as soldiers clear booby traps and recover the bodies of dozens of victims pic.twitter.com/J4ZfWZQYHp

— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) October 10, 2023

'About 40 babies were taken out on gurneys... Cribs overturned, strollers left behind, doors left wide open'

Our correspondent @Nicole_Zedek continues to survey the horror scenes left behind in Kibbutz Kfar Aza where Hamas invaded and murdered dozens of Israelis in their homes pic.twitter.com/ZZCwDGkV8z

— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) October 10, 2023

REPORTER: David, it's hard to even explain exactly, just the mass casualties that happened right here. In fact, the Israeli military says they still don't have a clear number, but I'm talking to some of the soldiers, and they say what they've witnessed as they've been walking through these different houses, these different communities. Babies, their heads cut off, that's what they said. Gunned down, families completely gunned down in their beds. You can see some of these soldiers right now comforting each other.

The reporter goes on to describe the house-to-house fighting that is still ongoing, with the bodies of those murdered being found every hour. Booby traps are also set in the area, worsening the recovery efforts for those that were massacred.

The kibbutz in question is positioned near the Southern border with the Gaza Strip and was one of the places hit by Hamas. Obviously, the horror that took place is difficult to process. 

This is a developing story.

UPDATE:

Several journalists, including a Los Angeles Times investigative reporter, attempted to downplay the reports of beheaded babies being found, suggesting they were manufactured by the Israeli military.

The only source for “Hamas beheaded babies” appears to be the Israeli military, which is widely known to spread lies and disinformation

Journalists, this is the fog of war. You’ll be seeing all sorts of claims. Don’t amplify unverified, sensational info https://t.co/7tiCNAj3j9

— Adam Elmahrek (@adamelmahrek) October 10, 2023

To provide further context, those reports have now been confirmed by multiple news outlets, including CBS News and CNN. 

@CBSNews learned that Israel body recovery teams have discovered beheaded babies and children in kibbutzim in southern Israel

— Norah O'Donnell 🇺🇸 (@NorahODonnell) October 10, 2023

Nic Robertson, live from a town that was attacked by Hamas. “There were so many murdered members of this Kibbutz. Men, women, children, hand bound, shot, executed, heads cut”. pic.twitter.com/HhSfvrsHYS

— נריה קראוס Neria Kraus (@NeriaKraus) October 10, 2023

I'll let others speculate on the motives of those who would go to bat for Hamas in this situation.