Nahal Oz massacre

Nahal Oz massacre
Part of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war
A blood-stained home floor in the aftermath of the massacre
Native name	הטבח בנחל עוז
Location	Nahal Oz, Southern District, Israel
Date	7 October 2023 (2023-10-07)
Attack type	Mass shooting, mass murder, war crime
Deaths	100+ deaths; 20+ missing
Perpetrator	Hamas

The Nahal Oz massacre was carried out by Hamas militants on the morning of October 7, 2023, Simchat Torah, in Kibbutz Nahal Oz near northern Gaza Strip, as part of a surprise attack on Israel. In the massacre, many kibbutz residents were murdered, and extensive damage was caused. Some residents were kidnapped and taken to the Gaza Strip.

Background

Nahal Oz is a kibbutz situated in southern Israel, in the northwestern part of the Negev desert near the Gaza border. As of 2021, it had a population of 471 residents. Founded in 1951, it was the first Nahal settlement in the country. By 1953, it transitioned into a civilian community. A significant event in its history occurred in 1956 when the kibbutz's security officer, Ro'i Rothberg, was killed by infiltrators from Gaza. His funeral witnessed a powerful eulogy by Moshe Dayan, then Chief of Staff, which emphasized the challenges faced by Israel and the constant threat from its neighbors.

Following the 2006 Lebanon War, a eulogy by novelist David Grossman for his son drew comparisons to Dayan's earlier eulogy. In 2014, a young resident, Daniel Tregerman, was killed by mortar fire from Gaza.

Massacre

Attack at nearby outpost

According to initial investigations, 40–50 militants infiltrated through the fence system and ran towards the post near Nahal Oz. The militants engaged in a brief battle with the guards at the gate, killed them and went inside, and soon destroyed a large part of the post and equipment within it. The soldiers at the post were surprised, and most of them were killed. In the war room, staff officers and observers entrenched themselves and tried to communicate with the forces and direct combat helicopters to the militant squads. A battalion commander and two platoon commanders exchanged fire with the militants outside the war room. This effort continued until the militants threw explosives inside and many were killed.

Inside the kibbutz

In parallel to the events at the Nahal Oz post, at least 20 of the militants who carried out the surprise attack infiltrated Kibbutz Nahal Oz near northern Gaza Strip. The militants broke into homes, kidnapped some kibbutz residents, and killed others including entire families. Some of the guards from the outpost came into the kibbutz and began fighting against the militants.

Among the victims were Israel Hayom photographer Yaniv Zohar and most of his family, Additionally Eden Nimri, an Israeli international-level swimmer. As of 17 October, total losses were unknown, at least 12 residents were reported killed, and 20 missing, in addition to the guards and militants who died.

See also

• List of massacres during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war