Nahal Oz’s emergency officer feels happiness and guilt at return of 3 kibbutz members

Canaan Lidor is a former Jewish World reporter at The Times of Israel

Rotem Katz exits the situation room of Kibbutz Nahal Oz in Mishmar Ha'Emeq, Israel on November 26, 2023. (Canaan Lidor/ Times of Israel)
Rotem Katz exits the situation room of Kibbutz Nahal Oz in Mishmar Ha'Emeq, Israel on November 26, 2023. (Canaan Lidor/ Times of Israel)

The return from captivity of three members of Kibbutz Nahal Oz brings out emotional turmoil in Rotem Katz, whose task in the kibbutz is to handle emergencies.

“It makes me happy, but it also shakes me to the core, it releases so many emotions,” says Katz, a 32-year-old high school math teacher, about the release of Elma Avraham, 84, and sisters Ela and Dafna, 8 and 15, as part of a group of 14 Israelis. Hamas terrorists murdered their father, Noam, on October 7.

One of the emotions is guilt, Katz tells The Times of Israel on Sunday evening, in between phone calls.

“It makes no sense, but these are people I was responsible for, yet one of the worst things imaginable happened to them. It’s jarring.”

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