It's a big question': kibbutz residents ponder return home after Hamas attack

"Now 23, she grew up in this tiny community in Israel's farthest south-west tip, and its flower-lined paths hold some of her happiest memories. It is also the place where her parents were murdered by Hamas gunmen on 7 October 2023, and her brother Rotem was badly injured. Their mother, Shachar, used her own body to shield him from the bullets, saving his life in a last act of love."

"The kibbutz residents were a small, close knit group of about 230 people, ripped apart by the massacre two years ago. Fifteen were killed, including two Thai farm workers, and another six taken hostage. Survivors were all evacuated that same day, when the army arrived in the afternoon. Barred from returning to their homes for nearly two years, most have since been living in hotels and temporary houses."

Shir Matias, 23, grew up in Holit kibbutz near Israel's south-west tip and faces whether she can return to the community where her parents were killed and her brother Rotem badly injured. The kibbutz of about 230 people was torn apart by the 7 October massacre: fifteen killed, including two Thai farm workers, and six taken hostage. Survivors were evacuated and barred from returning for nearly two years, living in hotels and temporary housing. Empty houses, overgrown paths and a quiet disrupted by nearby bombing now define the place, while more than 1,000 dairy cows remain.

Read at www.theguardian.com