Nir Yitzhak attack

On 7 October 2023, the Hamas Nuseirat Battalion attacked Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak, a community in Israel's northwestern Negev desert close to the border fence with the Gaza Strip, as part of a broader coordinated assault on Israel. Residents were woken around 6:30 a.m. by red alert sirens and took shelter in safe rooms. By 6:50 a.m., the kibbutz's seven-member security team took up defensive positions along the western fence, unaware that militants had already entered through the front gate in vehicles and set up sniper positions.

A resident near the gate reported seeing approximately fifteen militants enter the kibbutz and warned neighbours via WhatsApp. Militants abducted Clara Marman, her partner Luis Har, and visiting family members Fernando Marman, Gabriela Leimberg, and 17-year-old Mia Leimberg, who was allowed to keep the family dog, Bella, after it was discovered hidden with her. An elderly couple, Moshe and Diana Rosen, were also abducted and walked toward the Gaza border but were released after arguing they could not continue due to injuries; they returned to the kibbutz and were later hospitalized.

Militants attempted unsuccessfully to lure workers out of the kibbutz's Chemada Factory by setting fires, but staff barricaded themselves inside after spotting the attempt on security cameras. Two security team members sent to investigate smoke near the factory were killed by militant snipers, which was when the team realized the scale of the attack, around 9:00 a.m. The security team fought militants without IDF support; grenades and gunfire were exchanged. Militants eventually withdrew with hostages and equipment, and looters took over ransacking homes. Residents remained locked in safe rooms for over 14 hours without water, food, or sanitation. The IDF, including the LOTAR unit, did not arrive until 12–13 hours after the attack began, by which point only looters remained; the unit cleared the kibbutz and assisted in evacuation the next day.

Six members of the kibbutz's security team were killed: Yaron Shahar and Ofek Arazi were confirmed killed on the day; Boaz Avraham, Oren Goldin, Tal Haimi, and Lior Rudaeff were initially reported missing and presumed abducted, but were later confirmed to have also been killed that day, with Haimi's and Rudaeff's bodies taken into Gaza. IDF soldier Ofir Melman was also killed during the fighting.

Of the seven civilian hostages taken, the Rosens were released before crossing into Gaza. Clara Marman, Gabriela Leimberg, and Mia Leimberg (with the family dog, Bella) were released on 28 November 2023 as part of the Israeli–Palestinian prisoner exchange. Luis Har and Fernando Marman were freed by the IDF on 12 February 2024 in a targeted operation named Golden Hand in Rafah, after 129 days in captivity; Gaza health officials reported 67 Palestinians were killed during the associated air strike operation.