Before the violent incursion by Hamas into southern Israel on October 7, Nir Oz was a vibrant kibbutz with a close-knit community of about 400 residents. This peaceful enclave had maintained positive relationships with its neighbors in Gaza for many years.

Situated just 1.2 miles (2 km) from the Gaza Strip, Nir Oz faced some of the most devastating violence that day, with around a quarter of its residents either killed or taken hostage. Disturbingly, unlike other kibbutzim, the Israeli army’s response came only after Hamas fighters and subsequent looters had already ransacked the area.

To understand the impact of these attacks, which sparked renewed violence across the Middle East nearly a year later, The Guardian’s Bethan McKernan visited Nir Oz. She aimed to capture the remnants of this once-thriving community and the lasting scars left in the wake of the violence.