Post by : Rameen Ariff

Nearly a month after the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, the southern border region remains caught between relief and fear. While calm has largely returned to the area, many residents of Nahal Oz—a kibbutz devastated during the 2023 Hamas attack—are still hesitant to return home, uncertain if the fragile peace will last.

Avishay Edri, 41, a resident of Nahal Oz, longs to return to the kibbutz where he once raised his four children, surrounded by sunflower and potato fields near the Gaza border. But memories of the 17 harrowing hours he and his family spent locked in a bomb shelter during the attack continue to haunt him.

“It’s important for emotional closure after everything we went through,” Edri said, “but it’s hard to ignore the fear of what might come next.”

The October 7, 2023, Hamas-led assault on southern Israel killed 15 people in Nahal Oz alone and took eight hostages to Gaza. Across southern Israel, more than 1,200 people lost their lives, according to official tallies, while 251 were abducted.

Following two years of war, the recent ceasefire brought temporary relief. The Israeli government has since lifted the state of emergency in areas near the Gaza border and urged residents to return home. It even announced the end of financial support for displaced families still living elsewhere.

Yet, nearly half of Nahal Oz’s 400 residents remain displaced. Some who returned before the ceasefire recounted continued rocket attacks, with missiles from Gaza occasionally striking the kibbutz. Damaged homes, scarred buildings, and the constant sound of artillery once made daily life unbearable.

Before the conflict, Nahal Oz symbolized coexistence and peace advocacy. Many residents, including Edri, volunteered to drive sick Palestinians from Gaza to hospitals in Israel. But after the horrors of 2023, perspectives have hardened.

“I used to believe peace was possible,” said Edri. “Now I feel naive for thinking small actions could prevent such a catastrophe.”

A Pew Research Center survey reflects this growing pessimism: only 21% of Israelis now believe peaceful coexistence with a Palestinian state is possible, down from 50% in 2013.

Founded by soldiers in 1951, Nahal Oz has always represented resilience. For decades, residents viewed living near the Gaza border as a duty—a symbol of strength and survival. But that resolve has been tested like never before.

Walking near the border fence, longtime resident Yael Raz Lachyani recalled visiting Gaza’s beaches and restaurants during her youth in the 1980s. “I used to think about the suffering of people on the other side,” she said, “but now my heart is too broken for that.”

While residents hope the ceasefire endures, many fear another cycle of violence could erupt. For those still displaced, the decision to return is a difficult one—caught between love for home and fear for safety.

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