Nir Oz was among the hardest-hit communities, with 106 residents killed and 30 abducted when Hamas-led militants stormed southern Israel. During the ceremony, the names of the victims were read aloud as families laid flowers and tended to their loved ones’ graves.
The commemoration came as Israeli and Hamas officials met in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, to discuss a possible ceasefire in Gaza. Talks are focused on the initial phase of an agreement that could include a partial Israeli withdrawal and the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Nir Oz resident Daniel Lifshitz, whose grandparents were among those killed and kidnapped, said his hope lies in renewed diplomatic efforts, adding that “all hostages must be released without delay.”
Hamas has accepted elements of a U.S.-backed peace plan proposed by President Donald Trump, which calls for the release of all 48 remaining hostages — around 20 believed to be alive — within three days. The war began when Hamas militants killed about 1,200 people and abducted 251 others in Israel.
Since then, Israel’s offensive has devastated much of Gaza, with health officials reporting more than 67,000 Palestinians killed, nearly half of them women and children.
