(AFP) Anuj Chopra - Kibbutz Nir Oz was one of the communities hit the hardest by the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, with a quarter of its 400 residents killed or abducted by Hamas gunmen. Tens of thousands of volunteers - including entire school classes - have signed up across Israel to temporarily replace foreign workers killed, abducted or forced to flee after the attacks. At Nir Oz, 15 Thai farm workers were killed in their quarters. The volunteers are transported to the farm daily under military escort. As Palestinian rocket fire continues, they have 15 seconds to seek shelter when rocket alert sirens blare. Many of the volunteers appear driven by a patriotic mission they say is nearly as vital to Israel's future as they believe the war on Hamas is - tending the farms, animals and fields that have been abandoned since Oct. 7.
2023-11-20 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive