| Kissufim
Kibbutz Kissufim is under the jurisdiction of the Eshkol Regional Council. The kibbutz was founded in 1951 by a group of pioneers from North and South America, who came to settle the Negev and make the desert bloom.
Today Kissufim has about 250 residents who maintain a value-driven, cooperative and multigenerational community based on the principles of equality and democracy. Kissufim is a resurgent kibbutz that absorbs new families and grants them full membership status.
Events of October 7
Dozens of terrorists infiltrated Kibbutz Kissufim. Twelve kibbutz members and six foreign workers from Thailand were murdered, and one member was abducted to the Gaza Strip.
Aside from the massacre at the kibbutz, a fierce battle was waged between dozens of terrorists and soldiers from the Golani Brigade's 51st Battalion stationed at the Kissufim outpost adjacent to the kibbutz. Some of the battalion soldiers engaged in a battle inside the kibbutz, subsequently evacuating the kibbutz residents.
Golani's 51st Battalion arrived at the kibbutz about an hour after the attack and began to rescue the residents and clear the kibbutz of terrorists. The company, which had previously fought terrorists who raided the Kissufim outpost, engaged in a battle at the kibbutz that lasted several hours. Towards late afternoon the soldiers began evacuating residents who had been trapped in their homes. Earlier in the afternoon a company from the 9th Armored Battalion arrived, under the command of Battalion Commander Nataniel Biton. The troops arrived without any tanks, rescued the kibbutz security coordinator, Roni Spadge, and his family from their home, took part in the battles at the kibbutz and cleared it of terrorists.
After a vote, the Kissufim community decided to relocate to temporary housing in Omer until they were able to return home.
Ido Ofri, communications officer in Reserve Battalion 551 and a resident of Kibbutz Kissufim, was awakened on Saturday morning to the sound of gunshots and rockets falling close to his home. When he noticed four terrorists approaching the door of his house, he armed himself with his personal weapon and prepared for battle. After the terrorists moved on to the neighboring house, he took advantage of the moment, armed himself with battle gear and set out to fight.
During the morning Ido joined IDF forces, battled against terrorists, rescued citizens—among them elderly and disabled people—and took an active role in evacuating all the civilians from the kibbutz. Together with the kibbutz security coordinator, Roni Spadge, he helped locate other residents and warned them not to enter boobytrapped houses. His mother, who was on the phone with him during the rescue under fire, recounted: "Suddenly I heard gunfire over the phone. I hung up and started looking for someone who could help him."
For 36 hours Ido continued operating in the kibbutz amid combat, uncertainty and life-threatening danger—until the last resident was evacuated. The next day he reported for duty at the base and continued to fight in Gaza for the next five months.
"He truly set out to protect us, until the very last moment."
Sgt. Maj. (res.) Saar Margolis (37), married with two daughters and a resident of Kibbutz Kissufim, served for 11 years as the kibbutz security coordinator and volunteered with Magen David Adom. In 2011 he set up the local security response team out of a sense of responsibility and a desire to protect his community. On the morning of October 7, when he understood that this attack was different, he led his wife and daughters to the security room. He then equipped himself with combat gear and set out to battle alongside his comrades.
Even though he had only recently left his position as kibbutz security coordinator, Saar did not hesitate to set out to defend the kibbutz. He battled for hours and helped evacuate residents. During an operation to liberate a house that had been taken over by armed terrorists, Saar was wounded and killed. His wife Yasmin recalled: "He said to me – 'I'm going to save the house and I'll be right back.' He truly set out to protect us, until the very last moment." Thanks to Saar's heroic deeds the kibbutz was evacuated, and many lives were saved.
Stories of Heroism
