One in four people in a village of 400 was killed or kidnapped
Survivors use red stickers for the murdered and black stickers for the kidnapped.
Global News Podcast · French government holds crisis talks after school protestsIn Kibbutz Nir Oz, a communal farming village bordering Gaza, one in four of 400 residents was killed or kidnapped on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led fighters attacked.
Dalit Aharon, a resident who hid in her safe room during the Oct. 7 attack, now walks visitors through the deserted communal dining room where birds have nested in the ceiling and points to rows of post boxes marked with colored stickers.
Red stickers mark residents who were murdered, and black stickers mark those who were taken into Gaza by Hamas-led fighters. Some were kidnapped and later killed.
The stickers remain three years later. Dozens of burned houses have already been pulled down, and Dalit, whose parents helped found the village, is determined to return when rebuilding is complete in two years.
Questions people ask
Will Nir Oz be rebuilt?
Yes. The plan is for a full rebuild in about two years. Dozens of burned houses have already been pulled down, and a few former hostages are living in newly built villas. Dalit Aharon, whose parents helped found the community, says she is determined to return.
What happened to the hostages taken on Oct. 7?
Hamas-led fighters took 251 people hostage. According to Israeli figures cited in the report, 168 came back alive, with the last survivors returning in October 2025 under a U.S.-brokered ceasefire. Others, including Shiri Bibas and her two young sons from Nir Oz, were killed in Gaza.
What is a kibbutz?
A kibbutz is a communal village in Israel, traditionally built around shared farming, dining, and child care. Nir Oz was founded in 1955 near the Gaza border and had about 400 residents before the attack. Many kibbutzim remain collective communities, though most now combine shared life with private homes and jobs.