Amiram Cooper

84-year-old Amiram Cooper, one of the founders of Kibbutz Nir Oz, was taken captive by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, during an assault on the kibbutz. This attack resulted in the loss of one-quarter of the kibbutz residents, either killed or abducted.

Amiram's wife, Nurit Cooper, was also taken hostage alongside him, and she was released on October 23, 2023, after 49 days of captivity. She recounted the brutal abduction, where terrorists shot through their door before forcibly taking both Amiram and Nurit from their home.

During their captivity, Amiram and Nurit were held in the same underground room, along with five other kibbutz members. The conditions were harsh, and it was difficult to distinguish between day and night.

Amiram and Nurit have three children and nine grandchildren. In addition to his role as a founder of Nir Oz, Amiram had a successful career as an economist, serving as the chief economist of the Ma’on region settlements. He was also a poet and composer, with several published works covering politics and economics.

Amiram was one of three elderly Israeli hostages featured in a video released by Hamas on December 18, 2023. The video showed the hostages sitting together and suffering in harsh conditions. Chaim Peri and Yoram Metzger were identified as the other two hostages. They pleaded for their unconditional release, emphasizing the difficulties they were facing.