Gaza border communities

Rodent infestation rises in Gaza border communities, hundreds of traps set out

Residents have reported finding droppings near children's beds and even incidents where injured residents needed to be hospitalized for proper treatment. 

Rats caught in a trap
The Israeli army near the border fence with Gaza, southern Israel. February 09, 2026.

IDF declares closed military zone ahead of Nahala group's march to Gaza with Smotrich, Ben-Gvir

The new synagogue in Kibbutz Kissufim.

Beyond the Headlines: New synagogue in Kissufim, with the old Torah ark from Gush Katif - opinion

IDF Central Command Chief Maj.-Gen. Avi Bluth addresses a change-of-command ceremony for the military's 99th Division, July 15, 2026.

Hamas unable to conduct terror infiltration, repeat of October 7, IDF commander tells soldiers


Farming under fire: Feeding Israel in crisis - opinion

Food security is a critical line of defense and the foundation of national resilience.

 WORKING AT Sde Tze’elim in the Negev: It is only during military or political crises that people grasp just how crucial local agriculture is to Israel’s defense, the writer states.

FBI delegation in Israel to investigate October 7 crimes on US citizens

As part of the investigation, FBI representatives are working to obtain a full picture of the events from the crime scenes themselves.

Border Police officers visit the site of the Nova music festival massacre, in Re'im, near the Gaza border, February 21, 2024

How foreign caregivers became Israel's lifelines during October 7 massacre

The bravery and compassion of  ‘the strangers within your gates’: Whose needs do we put first in this moment?

 PHILIPPINE CULTURAL Dancers group performs a traditional dance, ‘tinikling,’ depicting the swift leg movements of a ‘tikling’ bird eluding a farmer’s traps. Regarding October 7, 2023, caretaker Camille Jesalva said, ‘I ran through the glass doors like I was playing with Hamas.

Kerem Shalom residents respond to IDF's Oct. 7 probe, call for state inquiry

In a statement following the IDF probe into the events of October 7, the members of Kibbutz Kerem Shalom thank the IDF for their investigation, but call for a broad state commission inquiry.

 Israeli women and children from Kibbutz Nir after being rescued from Hamas terrorists by the Israel Border Police, October 7, 2023.

Stunning 1,600-year-old Byzantine mosaic unveiled in Western Negev

Known as the Be’er Shema (Birsama) mosaic, it stands out as one of the most impressive ancient mosaics found in southern Israel.

 The Be'er Shema (Birsama) mosaic, discovered over 30 years ago near Kibbutz Urim, dates back approximately 1,600 years.

IDF chief to Eshkol council head: 'Hostages' return, community's security are top priorities'

The Eshkol Council Head shared the deepening difficulty faced by residents living under the heavy bombardment, a high level of tension, and deep concern for the fate of the hostages.

 The Eshkol Council Head Michal Uziel met on Sunday with the Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, May, 2025.

'Died of a broken heart': Tamar Kutz, one of the founders of Kfar Aza, dies at 82

Tamar's husband, Benny, accompanied her until her last day. The two, veterans and leaders of the kibbutz, lived there their entire adult lives, and raised their children there.

 A photo of Tamar Kutz next to a picture of her son and his family that were brutally murdered in Kfar Aza on October 7.

The body remembers: On documenting trauma with care - opinion

Sharing testimonies is a form of storytelling that can help survivors make sense of their trauma.

 Irit Gazit (L) and Sharon Rapaport hear a testimony.

A memoir of courage and love: British-Israeli pioneer living on the Gaza border - review

Interviews with released hostages and families of victims illustrate how many of them were pioneers who made the Western Negev bloom.

 A barbed wire fence is seen on Zikim beach, in southern Israel near the border with Northern Gaza Strip, on April 5, 2016

IDF announces Warrant Officer Dejen Daniel Sahalo killed in car accident in Gaza border area

Warrant Officer Sahalo, 41, from Rehovot, served in the 5067th Engineering Battalion, Combat Engineering Corps.

 Warrant Officer Dejen Daniel Sahalo, killed in a car accident in the Gaza border area, May 5, 2025.