Netanyahu Visits Nir Oz for First Time Since Hamas Attack
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Kibbutz Nir Oz on Thursday, nearly two years after it was devastated in the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack.
The visit—Netanyahu’s first to the hardest-hit community—was met with grief, anger, and urgent calls from survivors and bereaved families for a hostage deal and national accountability.
Entering through a side gate as protesters rallied at the entrance, Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, toured the burned-out homes and met with survivors and families of those still held hostage.
Nir Oz lost 69 of its 386 residents, guests, and foreign workers in the attack, and 76 were taken captive. Four residents remain in Gaza.
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Throughout the visit, Netanyahu faced emotional appeals from families who demanded a comprehensive deal to bring home all 50 remaining hostages, both living and dead.
Nili Margalit, a nurse who was released in a 2023 hostage deal, refused to shake the prime minister’s hand, urging him to “show responsibility” and act before it’s too late. “I think the first step of taking responsibility is to establish a state commission of inquiry,” she said.
Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan is still held in Gaza and suffers from muscular dystrophy, warned Netanyahu that “he won’t survive” much longer. She added, “Now is the time for action.”
Netanyahu promised that “we will bring everyone back” and expressed a “deep commitment” to rebuilding Nir Oz.
A deal reportedly supported by US President Donald Trump could soon result in the release of 28 hostages during a 60-day truce, with further negotiations to follow. Netanyahu is scheduled to visit the White House next week.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said the visit could open a path to resolution but warned that “partial deals” would be a “grave failure” that would haunt Israel for generations.
