From Demolition work begins at Kibbutz Kfar Aza, devastated by Oct. 7 Hamas attacks
Sue Surkes is The Times of Israel's environment reporter
Demolition work begins at Kibbutz Kfar Aza, one of the Gaza border communities worst hit by the Hamas attack on October 7 last year.
Ninety-seven buildings have been designated for demolition, but no decisions have been made yet about 48 buildings in the “Young Generation” neighborhood.
Of 37 residents of this neighborhood, 11 were murdered and seven were kidnapped and taken to the Gaza Strip. In total, out of the 1,000 residents of Kfar Aza, 62 were killed during the October 7 terror onslaught in southern Israel.
Some 1,200 people were killed, mainly civilians on that day, and 251 were seized as hostages and abducted to the Gaza Strip.
As part of Kfar Aza’s rehabilitation, 400 buildings will be renovated (360 residential buildings and 40 public ones), and damaged infrastructure will be repaired.
The Tekuma Directorate, charged with rehabilitating the Gaza border area, will allocate NIS 200 million (nearly $56 million) to Kfar Aza for the works. These will include building a new Young Generation neighborhood in a different location on the kibbutz, and a new residential neighborhood.
The kibbutz, currently housed in temporary accommodation in Kibbutz Ruhama, has contracted with the management company A. Epstein & Sons (1995) Ltd.
