Free them now

Nadav Kipnis had taken advantage of the public holidays in Israel to spend a relaxing weekend away with his girlfriend, Sharon, in Bersheva, in southern Israel. Had they not decided to take that trip, Nadav would not be here now telling us about how his life was overturned forever in the span of a few hours. On Saturday, 7 October, he and Sharon had woken up to the sound of distant explosions, but they had not been too concerned. People who live on Israel’s border with Gaza are used to such sounds and to fleeing to safe underground shelters. It is an absurd normality, which however does not discourage people from living in Nir Oz, a kibbutz located only 4.5 kilometres from Gaza. Nadav was born there and has always lived there. His grandfather was one of the founders of the kibbutz a long time ago when there was still no war. Nadav’s ...