Ofer Kalderon

Ofer Calderon, 53, was taken captive by Hamas terrorists on October 7th, 2023, during a violent attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz, which resulted in the deaths of over 100 residents and several foreign agricultural workers.

During the initial assault on Nir Oz, Ofer, along with two of his children, Erez and Sahar, managed to escape from their shelter by climbing out of a window. They sought refuge in the fields of the kibbutz but were later captured by the attackers and taken hostage.

Ofer's ex-wife, Hadas Calderon, was also present in the sealed room of her home during the attack, where she bravely held the door handle against the terrorists. Their elder son, Rotem, survived in the safe room of his apartment within the kibbutz's young adults' area, while their older daughter, Gaya, was located in Tel Aviv at the time.

Tragically, Carmela Dan, Ofer's mother-in-law, and Hadas's niece, Noya Dan, were killed during the attack, although their bodies were not identified until later.

Sahar Calderon, aged 16, and Erez Calderon, aged 12, were released from captivity on November 27, as part of a temporary ceasefire agreement, however Ofer Calderon remains in captivity in Gaza.