Nahal Oz, a kibbutz in southern Israel which is home to about 400 people, is so close to the Gaza Strip that the nearest Palestinian house in Sajaiya is just 600 metres away. Despite the hi-tech fences and buffer zone that separates them, the neighbours can see each other hanging the washing on the line.
Until the late 1980s, older members of Nahal Oz used to regularly drive a few miles west, to shop in Gaza City’s markets, eat the enclave’s famous seafood, or go for a walk on the Mediterranean coastline. Many still have friends in Gaza. Despite the Israeli blockade imposed in 2007, after the militant group Hamas seized control of the area, they kept in touch with calls and WhatsApp messages.
Recently, the community began work on a visitor centre for those wanting to learn more about the kibbutz ethos of sustainability and a pastoral way of life. A listing on a kibbutzim website wondered whether the neighbours from Sajaiya would one day also be able to visit. After the events of the last three days, in which Hamas militants slaughtered more than 700 Israelis in 20 places across the country’s south, including Nahal Oz, it seems unlikely the old friends will ever be able to meet again. » | Bethan McKernan and Quique Kierszenbaum in Ashkelon | Monday. October 9, 2023
