After more than 400 days since the Hamas massacre on October 7 last year, residents of Kibbutz Nir Oz voted to rebuild their community.
"Out of the unimaginable pain of what we have gone through and are still going through, and while calling on the government to immediately return all the hostages as a necessary and basic condition for our revival," they wrote in a document published on Monday.
Nir Oz members said that victory for them means the return of the hostages and the reconstruction of the kibbutz.
"It is clear to us that the only victory alongside the return of our loved ones is the re-establishment of Kibbutz Nir Oz. Stronger, better, and bigger. The members of Nir Oz decided: Kibbutz Nir Oz will be rebuilt," the announcement said.
They said that, in rebuilding, Israel's resilience and ability to rise again will be tested. "Therefore, the government must ensure a complete and optimal construction of the kibbutz, while showing generosity and a sincere desire to bring about the revival of Nir Oz. Along with the re-establishment, it is our duty to preserve the memory and heritage, and to perpetuate the stories of heroism in Kibbutz Nir Oz to ensure the memory of the place and its people for generations."
The members said that there may be those who would not be able to return because of their personal loss and trauma. "These people are our people and are an essential part of the community. We demand that the govedrnment find solutions for those who cannot return while rebuilding the community. Our door will remain open for them to return to Nir Oz in the future if they wish. We are committed to the struggle for the liberation of our friends, along with the duty to return home and start over."
Most of the members of Nir Oz currently live in Kiryat Gat, a city in the south. After October 7, Nir Oz became one of the symbols of the government's abandonment when the kibbutz was occupied by hundreds of terrorists, who slaughtered the residents without anyone coming to their rescue for many hours.
When the IDF forces arrived at the kibbutz in the afternoon, there was no one left to save. Not a single IDF bullet was fired in Nir Oz. As a result, 57 residents were murdered, of which at least 7 were kidnapped from their home alive and murdered in captivity. Some 20 living hostages and 9 killed soldiers whose bodies are still held by Hamas. Another 76 were kidnapped that morning, of which 40 women and children were exchanged in the hostage deal almost a year ago. Seven bodies of the fallen soldiers were returned to Israel as part of military rescue operations.
As part of Nir Oz's restoration efforts, last week the chairman of the Takuma Directorate (council responsible for rebuilding the destroyed towns due to the war) and CEO of the Prime Minister's Office, Yossi Shelley, toured the kibbutz and met with the residents. "There was a discussion together with the community leaders, the council representatives, and the residents' representatives who presented their needs and the rehabilitation plan, which they will soon approve," said the Takuma Directorate. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich was expected to visit the kibbutz on Tuesday, 402 days after the massacre.
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