Remembering Oct. 7, 2023 

     "October 7 is with us all the time," says a member of Israel's management team in Nahal Oz, a kibbutz, where 90 percent of residents have made a quiet return. The agricultural community was founded in 1951. 

     "Not everyone is willing to risk living so close to Hamas-ruled territory. Since the early 2000s, Nahal Oz suffered relentless mortar fire and rocket attacks from Gaza. When bomb warnings would sound, residents had seconds to reach shelter. They saw Hamas members training on the other side, heard them digging tunnels under their homes, and watched incendiary balloons devastate their crops. 

 Excuse me. The government did nothing?

     "The October 7 surprise attack left more than 1,200 people dead and others carried away. The Trump administration's Board of Peace gives hope of some security. The board will oversee Gaza reconstruction and civil administration, yet to go beyond rhetoric. 

     "The challenge for a new generation is believing that Gaza can look different from its past. Israel's early leaders expected the borders would grow safer over time, and they believed relations with their neighbors would normalize. But the notion that Jewish people are secure in their ancient homeland was shattered. 

     "Israel's government wants to show security is possible. It began plans to rebuild two weeks after the incident. Since then, it has renovated buildings and rebuilt infrastructure. The region now has 3,000 more residents than before and plans to double the population by 2033.

     "Gilad Yavetz, a renewable energy businessman, believes Nahal Oz could become a showcase for agricultural technology. His 23-year-old son, Yiftach, led the force that confronted the terrorists on Oct. 7, preventing a larger massacre. Yiftach died during the battle. His father feels a duty to strengthen the community his son died to protect. 'My son helped save 400 people. I want to follow his path.'"

 WORLD magazine