Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich visited Kibbutz Nir Oz on Tuesday and spoke with the local community leaders and kibbutz residents.
During the visit, the minister went to the houses that were captured and burned and where the atrocities took place. He spoke to the families of the hostages and murdered, heard their pain and expressed his commitment to bring the hostages back home and to securing the future of the families and members of the kibbutz, who have been affected by rehabilitation and budgetary issues.
Nir Metzger, son of Yoram Metzger who was kidnapped and murdered in captivity, Sharon Cunio, who was kidnapped with her entire family and her husband David is still held hostage, Eitan Cunio, brother of hostages David and Ariel, Arnon Lifshitz, son of Yocheved and Oded Lifshitz, and Yehi Yehud, the father of Arbel who was kidnapped and Dolev who was murdered, participated in the meeting with the minister.
During the visit, Smotrich met with Sigal Yehud, widow of Dolev, murdered on 10/7 and Dolev's sister-in-law, Sharon Aloni Cunio, who was released from captivity. Sigal said, "The mental struggle is challenging, especially with four small children that I was left to take care of. Right now I need help and someone to take care of me. I think that after what you saw and heard, you must know how to take everything and convey this to those who must come back here, not later and not in a few years. The struggle is now, it is daily."
Osnat Peri, chairperson of the kibbutz and widow of Haim Perry who was kidnapped and murdered, added, "It's not just that mental rehabilitation is just as important, it's more important. When you see the houses, you have to understand that people's lives here have been destroyed. It's not just about losing someone close to you. We need to see how people are being brought back to life somehow."
In her meeting with the minister, Sharon Aloni Cunio said: "What kind of security is here? Come to my home one day and see my children, then tell me if this is a victory. I am grateful that we were returned, but my husband is there. I have girls who are currently orphaned, they have no father. We are living two kilometers from Gaza, a two minutes' drive. Just imagine that he is so close to here and there is nothing we can do about it."
Smotrich ended his visit with a discussion at the local war room and pledged to do as much as possible to help with the restoration of the kibbutz and the community.
“I thank you for opening the door and your heart, it is not to be taken for granted. I'm not sure if I was in your place that I would be able to invite, accept and look into the face of someone who is ultimately part of the entity that is responsible for this terrible failure. On a personal level I am living it. I've been going to sleep with it and waking up with it for a year now. It's a different experience than yours, but I have a sense of responsibility and guilt and, above all, commitment to correct what is possible."
“I admire you, kibbutz members, the people who represent agriculture and Zionism, even before the tragedy, and now it is much more about the nobility, the extent, the courage to imagine a future here and come back home. We are committed to bringing the hostages home. The spirit is yours and we must provide you with the material means to enable you to produce the best, strongest and most powerful future, that will give a victorious answer to the enemies,” concluded Smotrich.