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Nir Oz was among the hardest-hit communities in southern Israel, where 106 residents were killed and 30 others abducted during the Hamas-led assault. At a solemn memorial ceremony, families recited the names of the victims, laid flowers, and tended to graves in quiet remembrance.
The commemoration coincided with renewed ceasefire negotiations between Israeli and Hamas officials in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. Discussions reportedly centre on the first stage of a potential agreement involving a partial Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a prisoner exchange — the release of Israeli hostages in return for Palestinian detainees.
Daniel Lifshitz, a Nir Oz resident whose grandparents were among those killed and kidnapped, expressed cautious optimism, saying his “hope lies in diplomacy” and urging that “all hostages must be released without delay.”
Hamas has accepted parts of a U.S.-backed peace proposal put forward by President Donald Trump, which outlines the release of all 48 remaining hostages — around 20 of whom are believed to be alive — within three days.
The war erupted when Hamas militants killed roughly 1,200 people and kidnapped 251 others in Israel. In the months since, Israel’s military campaign has ravaged much of Gaza, where health officials report more than 67,000 Palestinians killed — nearly half of them women and children.
