'We are officially hostages.' How the Israeli kibbutz of Nir Oz embodied Hamas hostage strategy

The Hamas attack on the kibbutz of Nir Oz started a little after 6:30 a.m. on Oct. 7 and lasted long into the afternoon, with dozens of fighters rampaging unopposed through the community with an apparent mission: To capture as many civilians as possible.

By the time the last fighter left, one in five residents of Nir Oz was a hostage. The remaining residents emerged from their safe rooms and gathered together in a shelter, spending the long night tallying the missing.

Eight weeks into the Israel- war, the recent release of dozens of hostages – with as many still in captivity – is bringing new focus on what Hamas did on Oct. 7, the day its fighters rounded