Nir Yitzhak massacre
Part of the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel
Released hostage Mia Leimberg with her father and her dog that was with her during the captivity
Nir Yitzhak is located in the Gaza Strip
Nir Yitzhak
Nir Yitzhak
Site of the attack in Israel
Native nameהטבח בניר יצחק
LocationNir Yitzhak, Southern District, Israel
Coordinates31°14′14″N 34°21′26″E / 31.23722°N 34.35722°E / 31.23722; 34.35722
Date7 October 2023 (2023-10-07)
Attack type
Mass shooting, mass murder, war crime
Deaths5 emergency team members, 1 IDF soldier
Injured2 civilians (hostages allowed to go before entering Gaza)
VictimsHostages: 8 (5 released, 3 still held)
Perpetrator Hamas (Nuseirat Battalion)

On 7 October 2023, the Hamas Nuseirat Battalion attacked Nir Yitzhak, a kibbutz close to the border fence with the Gaza Strip, as part of a surprise attack on Israel.

Two civilian members of the kibbutz’s emergency team including its leader, and one IDF soldier, were known to have been killed on the day of the attack. Three other team members who were originally noted as missing and presumed abducted, were subsequently also identified as being killed on that day. This includes one whose body was taken to Gaza, but later returned.

Eight hostages were taken captive, one emergency team member, and seven civilian residents. Two hostages were released before crossing into Gaza. Three were released during the Israel-Hamas hostage exchange. The status of the 3 remaining hostages is unknown, but they are assumed to still be held in Gaza.

History of Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak

Nir Yitzhak is a kibbutz in Israel's northwestern Negev desert, established on 8 December 1949, and named after Palmach commander Yitzhak Sadeh. Affiliated with the Hashomer Hatzair youth movement, it supports the "Garin Tzabar" program for non-Israeli Jews serving in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).[1] As of 2021, it had a population of 649.[2]

The kibbutz founded the Chemada Factory 30 years ago. It is now owned by the Topaz Company. It is defined as an essential factory running 24 hours every day. It produces bromide-based chemicals for pharmaceutical, cosmetics and agricultural use, with all its product being exported.[3] The kibbutz co-owns Shahen Agriculture Co., specializing in field crop production, with Kibbutz Kerem Shalom.

Attack

At around 6:30 on the morning of 7 October 2023, kibbutz residents were awoken by red alert sirens and what seemed to be louder than usual Iron Dome intercepter activity. They took shelter in their safe rooms, for what they expected to be a short period.[4][5][6]

At 6:50 the Kibbutz emergency team were alerted to a potential attack and told to keep their two-way radios on. Seven members of the team took up defensive positions along the western fence of the kibbutz. They expected, at most, an attack on foot from Gaza, and, at worst, an attempt to breach the kibbutz fence. They believed they were in a superior defensive position to ward off such an attack.[5]

The emergency team were unaware that the Hamas Nuseirat Battalion had arrived in vehicles at the front gate of the kibbutz and gained entry there. They set up sniper positions around the area.[5] A kibbutz resident living near the gate saw what he referred to as fifteen militants entering the kibbutz. After returning to his safe room where his family were sheltering, he warned his neighbours what was happening on WhatsApp. Although his safe room was not breached he did hear screams from the house behind him. This turned out to be Clara Marman’s house. She and 4 of her family members were abducted to Gaza.[4]

An elderly couple, the Rosen’s, were also abducted. When they arrived on foot at the breached Gaza border fence, they argued that they could go no further because of their injuries. Their abductors allowed them to return to the kibbutz.[7]

The Hamas militants were then caught on security cameras attempting to lure the workers in the Chemada Factory out of the building by lighting bales of paper in front of the factory on fire.[5] This attempt was unsuccessful because the workers and security in the building had access to the security camera’s giving them warning, and they were able to barricade themselves securely in the main factory floor. The miltants did damage other parts of the factory and took equipment. The factory was able to resume production after the kibbutz was secured.[3]

The rescue team sent a member to investigate the smoke coming from the factory, considered to be the safest part of the kibbutz. When that member did not return another was sent. These members were killed by militant snipers. It was only after this at around 9:00 that the rescue team began to understand the unprecedented scale of the attack.[5]

The kibbutz emergency team fought the militants in an attempt to protect the residents, without IDF support. Gunfire was exchanged and grenades were used against the team. At a certain point, the miltants left taking the hostages and equipment. They were replaced by looters who were the main people residents heard ransacking their houses.[5]

The kibbutz residents were locked in safe rooms for over 14 hours, without access to water, food or sanitation. Messages were received outside the kibbutz’s that residents in their safe rooms could still hear people outside at 14:00.[8] They heard shooting, and their houses being ransacked. Besides the Rosen and Marman/Leimberg houses where the occupants were abducted, no other safety rooms on the kibbutz were reported as breached.[4][6]

IDF only arrived at the kibbutz 12-13 hours after the attack began, when the militants had left and only looters remained. The LOTAR unit cleared the kibbutz and protected residents overnight. They assisted in the evacuation of the kibbutz the next day.[9]

Casualties and hostages

Emergency response team

The kibbutz’s response team's sergeant major, Yaron Shahar, and another response team member, Ofek Arazi, were killed in the attack.[6]

Four members of the response team, Boaz Avraham, Oren Goldin, Tal Chaimi and Lior Rudaeff, were missing and assumed to have been abducted.[10] It subsequently became known that three of these men (Avraham,[11] Goldin[12] and Chaimi[13]) were killed on the day of the attack. Chaimi’s body was taken to Gaza,[13] but later repatriated for burial.[14]

The location of the fourth missing response team member, Rudaeff, is unknown, but he is assumed to still be held hostage in Gaza. His family mentioned that he was on medication for treatment of a recent heart attack, and that he did not have any medication with him.[15]

Hostages

Moshe and Diana Rosen, elderly residents of the kibbutz, were injured when Hamas militants shot the lock of their safe room. They were then walked to the Israel-Gaza border and told to proceed into Gaza. The couple refused arguing that they could not continue because of their injuries. After heated discussion between Diana and the militant leader, they were set free and told to go back to the kibbutz, which they did. They were later treated in hospital for their wounds.[7]

The five members of the Marman/Leimberg family who were at the kibbutz at the time of attack were abducted as hostages to Gaza. Clara Marman and her partner Louis Har are residents of the kibbutz. They were being visited by Clara’s brother (Fernando Marman), sister (Gabriella Leimberg) and her 17-year old neice (Mia Leimberg).[10] Mia had brought the Leimberg’s family dog (Bella) with for the visit.[16] When the family were kidnapped Mia took Bella with her hidden under her pajamas. The abductors only realized the dog was present when they arrived at the tunnels where the hostages were kept. They allowed Mia to keep the Bella, who she credited with reducing the trauma she felt.[17] Bella was released with Mia when she, her mother and aunt were released as part of the Israel-Hamas hostage swop on 28 November 2023. The two men taken hostage from the family have not yet been released.[18]

IDF

One Israeli soldier, Ofir Melmam, was killed during the fighting.[6]

Hamas

Sources do not mention if any Hamas militants were injured or killed during the attack. The surviving response team members indicate that at some time after the unsuccessful attempt on the factory, taking of the hostages and various firefights, the militants left the kibbutz, and were replaced by looters who did most of the ransacking of residential houses.[5]

Details of casualties and hostages unfolding over time

Name Age Gender 7 October 2023 As of 2 January 2024
Yaron Shahar 51 Male Killed[5] -
Ofek Arazi 28 Male Killed[5][6] -
Ofir Melmam (IDF) 21 Male Killed[6] -
Boaz Avraham 61 Male Assumed captive[5][6][10][11] Killed, 7 October 2023[5][11]
Oren Goldin 33 Male Assumed captive[5][6][10][12] Killed, 7 October 2023[12]
Tal Chaimi 41 Male Assumed captive[5][6][10][13] Killed, 7 October 2023. Body in Gaza[13] then repatriated.[14]
Moshe Rosen Elderly Male Captive for short period[5][7] Allowed to go, 7 October 2023[5][7]
Diana Rosen Elderly Female
Clara Marman 62 Female Captive[4][5][6][10][16] Released, 28 November 2023,[18][19] with Mia unexpectedly carrying the Leimberg family dog, Bella.[17]
Gabriela Leimberg (Clara’s sister) 59 Female
Mia Leimberg (Clara’s niece) 17 Female
Louis Har (Clara’s partner) 70 Male Captive[4][5][6][10][16] Still held captive[18][19]
Fernando Marman (Clara’s brother) 60 Male
Lior Rudaeff 61 Male Captive[5][6][10][15][19]  ?
Hamas militants (15[4] or dozens[5]) - - Left kibbutz[5]  ?

See also

References

  1. ↑ Zitun, Yoav (19 December 2014). "Gaza rocket hits Israel for third time since summer war". Ynetnews. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  2. ↑ "Regional Statistics".
  3. 1 2 "תעשייה תחת מתקפה: הסיפור של מפעל כימדע בקיבוץ ניר יצחק" [Industry under attack: The story of the Chemada factory in Nir Yitzhak kibbutz], Walla, 9 October 2023, retrieved 31 December 2023
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Daniel's story: 'Hell broke out in our kibbutz. We want peace'", Vatican News, 23 October 2023, retrieved 31 December 2023
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 הגיבורים של קיבוץ ניר יצחק [The Hero’s of Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak] (Video documentary) (in Hebrew). mako.co.il. 17 October 2023. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "משפחה שלמה, 4 מחברי כיתת הכוננות: בניר יצחק מייחלים לאות חיים מהנעדרים" [A whole family, 4 members of the emergency team: Nir Yitzhak yearns for a sign of life from the missing]. Ynet.com (in Hebrew). 11 October 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Elderly couple, abducted by Hamas, tell how they refused to be taken to Gaza". Times of Israel. 12 October 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  8. ↑ "Kibbutz Ein HaShlosha, Nir Yitzhak residents say terrorists still inside communities". Times of Israel. 7 October 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  9. ↑ "How the IDF retook the Gaza border from Hamas terrorists", Jerusalem Post, 14 October 2023, retrieved 1 January 2024
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "פורסמו שמות חברי קיבוץ ניר יצחק שנלקחו בשבי או נעדרים" [The names of the members of Nir Yitzhak kibbutz who were taken prisoner or are missing have been published], Ynet.com, 14 October 2023, retrieved 1 January 2024
  11. 1 2 3 "Boaz Abraham, 61: Dog-walking, nicknaming farmer with big smile", The Times of Israel, 10 December 2023, retrieved 1 January 2024
  12. 1 2 3 "Oren Goldin, 33: Mechanic, kibbutznik, dad of 2-year-old twins", The Times of Israel, 2 December 2023, retrieved 1 January 2024
  13. 1 2 3 4 "Family of Gaza hostage Tal Chaimi say they have been told he was killed on Oct. 7", The Times of Israel, 13 December 2023, retrieved 31 December 2023
  14. 1 2 Rosenfeld, Alexi J. (photographer ) (15 December 2023). Funeral Service Held For Tal Chaimi, Nir Yitzhak Resident Killed On Oct. 7 (Images). Revivim, Israel: Getty Images. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  15. 1 2 "Presumed captive: Lior Rudaeff, went to fight for Nir Yitzhak", The Times of Israel, 3 December 2023, retrieved 31 December 2023
  16. 1 2 3 "Israeli father waiting, terrified, for news of abducted family", Reuters, 20 October 2023, retrieved 1 January 2024
  17. 1 2 Ott, Haley (6 December 2023), "Israeli teen hostage freed by Hamas says her pet dog Bella was a "huge help" during captivity in Gaza tunnels", CBS, retrieved 3 January 2024
  18. 1 2 3 "Gabriela and Mia Leimberg, Clara Marman released; 2 family members still captive", The Times of Israel, 28 October 2023, retrieved 1 January 2023
  19. 1 2 3 "Hamas hostages: Stories of the people taken from Israel", BBC, 22 December 2023, retrieved 1 January 2024
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