With Israeli aircraft capable of threatening every capital in the Middle East, and with the protection of Israeli security taking precedence over adherence to the international border, history will remember this war as a victory. Once the hostages return, Israel will face critical tests: demilitarizing the Gaza Strip and determining the fate of the terrorist organization Hamas. 

The sights, the sounds, the stories of the survivors and the dead in Be’eri are etched into me to this day. An entire community fought for its life, while I, in its midst, tried to gather the fragments.

Sixty-four residents of Nir Oz were murdered by the terrorists. Seventy-six children, men and women were kidnapped, nine of whom are still being held captive by Hamas. In a unique project, members of the kibbutz tell the story of their homes in their own words, through images, videos and personal testimonies.

The colorful paper chains I hung in our sukkah two years ago, and promised to take down only when the hostages came home, haven’t fallen apart with time. They remind me what can be seen through a temporary roof, beneath a sky full of stars.

The morning of October 7 began with deafening explosions. We understood immediately: this was war.