Nir Oz residents weigh rebuilding the kibbutz while preserving memories of the attack
Residents of Nir Oz, one of the Israeli communities hardest hit in the Hamas-led attacks on 7 October 2023, are weighing whether and how to rebuild. Some want to return in memory of those killed and taken hostage, while also preserving damaged homes as evidence of what happened.
The kibbutz, near the Gaza border, had about 400 residents. Forty-one residents and foreign workers were killed, and 76 people from the kibbutz were taken to Gaza; the last living hostages returned in October 2025. Many homes have been demolished, leaving reinforced safe rooms, and residents are considering how to balance rebuilding with remembrance.
- Nir Oz residents are weighing a return and how to rebuild.
- Forty-one residents and foreign workers were killed.
- Residents want the destruction remembered as the community plans its future.
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Nir Oz is a kibbutz in southern Israel, located close to the Gaza border. On 7 October 2023, it was one of the Israeli communities most severely affected by Hamas-led attacks that day.
The attack killed 41 residents and foreign workers, with 76 people from the kibbutz abducted to Gaza. The final living hostages returned in October 2025. Much of the physical community has been damaged or destroyed, with many homes demolished and leaving only reinforced safe rooms in some locations.
The kibbutz now faces a question about its future. Some residents want to rebuild as a way to commemorate those killed and return to communal life, whilst others wish to preserve damaged buildings and spaces as memorials and as evidence of what occurred.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Residents of Nir Oz naturally seek to rebuild their community and restore their lives after devastating loss. Rebuilding homes allows families to return, creating spaces for future generations and demonstrating resilience rather than remaining frozen in trauma. This approach honours the deceased and hostages by ensuring the kibbutz endures and thrives; practical necessity also demands functional housing and economic renewal for residents' wellbeing.
The case against
The damaged homes and reinforced safe rooms stand as irreplaceable physical testimony to the attack and warrant thoughtful preservation. These spaces educate future generations about the real cost of the conflict and serve as solemn memorials to those killed and taken hostage. Preserving at least some sites risks less likelihood of forgetting history, and certain spaces may hold sacred significance to residents who lost loved ones.
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Originally published by BBC World as “Residents of kibbutz destroyed in 7 October Hamas-led attacks grapple with how to rebuild”.