Nir Oz

Our Green Garden in the Negev Desert

(R. Images, Or Movment)

established

1955

Regional Council

Eshkol

Population (Pre 7/10/2023)

393

Distance From The Gaza Border

2.79 km (1.73 miles)

Type Of Community

Secular Kibbutz

Economy

Orchards; cattle and chicken coops; Nirlat factory for the production of silicone sealants, paints and building materials; planning and engineering development company

(R. Images, Or Movment)

Kibbutz Nir Oz was founded on 1 October 1955, though according to kibbutz member Shlomo Margalit, there had been a moshav on the site around 1952, “but too many members were killed by the fedayeen or left, so it was dissolved.” There were only four trees growing at the kibbutz at the time of its founding; it was developed over time into a model for low-water landscaping. The Hashomer HaTzair Zionist youth movement took over Nir Oz in May 1957, with a founding group of 70 members. At the time of its establishment, its inhabitants lived in barracks and a large tent was erected for a dining room. The development of the land was made possible thanks to the Yarkon-Negev pipeline that provided water for irrigating 200 dunams that were irrigated in the area.

In recent years, Nir Oz has become a major grower of asparagus for export. The agricultural workers were at one time Gazan but in recent years, workers from Thailand have been employed instead.

The kibbutz was beginning to market itself as an ecotourism destination, as agronomist Ran Pauker co-author of a 2001 book on combating desertification (sometimes described as oasification) provided information about the kibbutz’s “Eco Garden”, a botanical garden operating since 1960, with over 900 species of plants adapted to desert conditions.
Due to its proximity to Gaza, Nir Oz farmers often came under Palestinian sniper fire. In 2008 the Israel Defense Forces asked the kibbutz to harvest its potatoes at night to lower the risk of attack. On 5 June 2008 a mortar bomb fired from the Gaza Strip hit the Nirlat paint factory on the kibbutz, killing an employee and wounding four others. Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack. Around 2013 a tunnel from Gaza was found near Nir Oz.

KKL-JNF and Nir Oz

Over the years KKL-JNF has cared for the safety and quality of life for the residents of Nir Oz by preparing lands for greenhouses, creating access roads to the cow barns and planting lifesaving trees around the community to protect the residents from rocket and gun fire coming from Gaza.

“I saw a horror, the greatest tragedy you can imagine. That’s how we found out.”

Mor Baider

The Events of October 7, 2023

“I saw a horror, the greatest tragedy you can imagine. That’s how we found out.”

Mor Baider

Kibbutz Nir Oz suffered many devastating losses on the October 7th invasion by Hamas terrorists, when at around 06:30, and estimated 200 Hamas terrorists entered the kibbutz through all the gates and openings, first killing 10 young people who were at a Psyduck party in the fields outside of the granddaughter , then going door to door within the community, murdering entire families, burning homes, and abducting civilians. The terrorists came from several directions at the same time, surrounded the kibbutz and took down the perimeter fence, with a lot of ammunition, assault rifles, RPG missiles, grenades and explosives.

Precise numbers of the catastrophe are difficult to determine, but roughly 25 of the 393 residents were killed, with an estimated 80 abducted as hostages, about a third of the 243 hostages being held in Gaza. The terrorists, who belonged to the Nuh’ba forces of Hamas, stayed in the kibbutz for long hours, coming prepared with aerial photographs of the community, knew where the ambulance and the security chief’s vehicle were, and destroyed them in their opening volley.

The magnitude of the atrocities committed and lives lost in the heinous assault on civilians continues to come to light along with the testimonies of survivors. Testimonies revealed the Hamas murderers set homes on fire to force residents out and shot them to death as they emerged. In an unbelievable act of cruelty, a grandmother, a lifelong resident of the small community, was murdered by Hamas terrorists, who then posted a video of her as she died, using her own phone on her Facebook wall. “I saw a horror, the greatest tragedy you can imagine” said her granddaughter Mor Baider.

Among the Hamas hostages were 12-year-old Noya Dan and her 80 year old grandmother Carmela Dan. Author JK Rowling published a photo on Twitter of Noya, reportedly a fan of Harry Potter, and wrote, “Kidnapping children is despicable and wholly unjustifiable. For obvious reasons, this picture has hit home with me. May Noya and all hostages taken by Hamas be returned soon, safely, to their families”. However, on 19 October, the bodies of both Noya and Carmela Dan were discovered by the IDF in Gaza, near the Israeli border, presumably because the abductors were slowed down by the Dans, and killed them to eliminate the hindrance.

After the initial invasion by the terrorists, Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip also invaded the kibbutz, including women and children, and went from house to house to loot and steal, while shooting those who resisted and burning the houses once they had taken everything of value. IDF Soldiers arrived only late Saturday afternoon, gathering the residents who survived in the public buildings of the community for their protection.