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ConflictsIsrael

October 7 survivor makes rebuilding kibbutz his life's work

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Emily Gordine
October 7, 2025

Tuesday marks two years since the terror group Hamas attacked Israel. Kibbutz Be'eri, near the Gaza border, was among the places hardest hit. Two years on, few residents have returned, but the community hasn't given up. Amit Salvi, who is now helping lead the rebuilding effort, recounts his experience.

Amit Salvi, 72, a lifelong resident of Kibbutz Be'eri, recounts surviving the October 7 attack by hiding in a bush as Hamas terrorists went house to house, killing and destroying. The community is torn over how to handle the memory. Some residents want to preserve parts of the devastation; others prefer to erase it to protect future generations. Salvi, who says he lost his capacity for sympathy that day, is now devoted to rebuilding Be'eri, seeing it as his life’s mission and a path to healing.

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