October 7 · Personal story
Tamir Adar
Abducted
October 7, 2023
Abduction location
Kibbutz Nir Oz, where he joined the local security team during the October 7 attack.
Current outcome
Returned for burial · October 21, 2025
Killed in battle on October 7, 2023; his body was abducted after death, returned to Israel on October 21, 2025, and buried in Nir Oz on October 23.
01
Education, fields and family
Tamir Adar was born on June 29, 1985, into Nir Oz’s third generation. As a young adult he served in Golani’s 13th Battalion and fought in the Second Lebanon War in 2006. His training ended with distinction. Afterward he turned toward education: through the Ramon Foundation’s Flight Squadron project at Yuvalei HaBesor School, he worked with fifth- and sixth-grade pupils and later supported children in informal education, including children with special needs. He returned to agricultural work in Nir Oz, becoming head of an irrigation team at the Orah Field Crops Cooperative. He and Hadas married in July 2014, made their home in the kibbutz and raised their children, Assaf and Neta, there. He was curious, loved traveling and began field work at sunrise, which moved him with its beauty.
02
Defending Nir Oz
Tamir was Nir Oz’s deputy security coordinator. On the morning of October 7, after word reached the kibbutz that attackers had entered, he took his weapon and left home to join the local defense. Before leaving, he told Hadas and their children to remain locked in the reinforced room. He fell in battle while defending Nir Oz.
03
His body was held after his death
Tamir was killed in battle on October 7; his body was then abducted to Gaza. On January 5, 2024, his family was told he had been killed on October 7 and that his body was being held in Gaza. His captivity was the custody of his body after death, not a period of living captivity.
04
Return for burial
Tamir’s remains returned from Gaza on October 21, 2025. After identification, he was buried in Nir Oz on October 23. His death had been confirmed in January 2024, while his remains stayed in Gaza until October 2025.
05
Buried in the kibbutz he defended
After his death, the family could not hold a funeral while his body remained in Gaza. The IDF posthumously recognized him as a reserve Master Sergeant for his local security role. His cousin Adva’s farewell recalled his smile and his effort to protect the kibbutz, his family and the home he loved. His brother Nir recalled a sticker on Tamir’s front door urging people not to grumble, but to thank and keep moving through life. He was survived by Hadas, their two children, his parents and three siblings.