Nir Yitzhak massacre

Nir Yitzhak massacre
Part of the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel
Native name	הטבח בניר יצחק
Location
Date
Attack type	Mass shooting, mass murder, war crime
Deaths	3+
Victims	Hostages: 5+
Perpetrator	Hamas (Nuseirat Battalion)

On 7 October 2023, dozens of Hamas militants carried out a massacre at Israeli kibbutz Nir Yitzhak near the Gaza Strip, as part of the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, during the festivities of Simchat Torah. Several members of the community were killed, and other residents were forcibly taken to Gaza.

Background

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. As of 2021, it had a population of 649. Economically, it co-owns Shahen Agriculture Co., specializing in field crop production, with Kibbutz Kerem Shalom.

On the morning of 7 October 2023, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad organizations launched a surprise attack on Israel. Under cover of rocket fire at Israel, around 3,000 militants infiltrated Israeli communities and military facilities, engaging in gun battles against sparse security forces. The militants murdered 1,080 civilians, killed 55 policemen, and 301 soldiers, and kidnapped at least 247 people (of whom 5 were released) to the Gaza Strip, including women and elderly.

The massacre

On 7 October 2023, around 7:00 am, dozens of Hamas militants entered the kibbutz territory and began going from house to house, murdering the residents. During the massacre, the militants caused extensive destruction and looted equipment from the houses they broke into.

The kibbutz residents were locked in safe rooms for over 14 hours, without access to water, food, or sanitation, while constant shooting continued inside and outside the homes. Vehicles belonging to several families were stolen and apparently used to transport the kidnap victims to the Gaza Strip.

The kibbutz rapid response team fought dozens of infiltrating militants in an attempt to protect the residents. The team's sergeant major and another response team member were killed in the fighting. Another kibbutz resident was killed in fierce combat with the militants.

Four members of the rapid response team are missing, and their condition is unknown. Two more kibbutz members, and three guests staying with them, were kidnapped to Gaza, and their fate is unknown. One of the militant squads also penetrated the kibbutz's Chemi Pharm plant, attempting to murder and kidnap workers, and destroying and looting equipment. Thanks to the plant's camera network, workers barricaded themselves in the fortified operations area and were thus saved, even continuing production activities.

LOTAR unit fighters who arrived at the kibbutz engaged in battle and succeeded in killing most of the militants and repelling or capturing the rest.

See also

• Re'im music festival massacre
• List of massacres in Israel
• List of massacres during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war
• Outline of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war

References

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