The village was fenced in by Hagana forces purportedly to protect the village against Deir Yassin like incidents. Al-Masmiyya al-Kabira was captured by the Israeli forces of the Givati Brigade during Operation An-Far. "The New York Times" reported that it had been occupied on 11 July, blocking an Egyptian attempt to break through to Latrun from the direction of al-Majdal. However, the Haganah claim it was captured during "several clearing operations in the brigade's rear guard, to eliminate the threat and danger posed by the presence of Arab civilian concentrations to the rear of the front."