Chaim Peri, 79, was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7. He was murdered in captivity in February 2024, and his body was recovered by IDF troops in August 2024 and returned to Israel for burial.
Chaim was taken captive from his home during the Hamas attack while his wife, Osnat, managed to survive hiding in their reinforced room for hours until she was rescued. His son Lior and daughter Inbal’s half-brother, Danny Darlington, was also slain in the kibbutz that day alongside his friend Carolin Bohl.
In December 2023, Hamas published a propaganda video featuring Chaim and fellow captives Amiram Cooper and Yoram Metzger. In June 2024, the IDF confirmed that Chaim, Amiram, Yoram and Nadav Popplewell had all been killed.
On August 20, 2024, the IDF announced that it had recovered the bodies of Chaim, Yoram, Nadav, Avraham Munder, Yagev Buchshtab and Alex Dancyg from Khan Younis, and returned them to Israel for burial. In an investigation published in December 2024, the IDF said it believes Chaim and the five others were shot dead by their captors amid nearby Israeli airstrikes in mid-February.
Chaim was buried in Kibbutz Nir Oz on August 27, 2024. He is survived by his wife, Osnat, their five children, Inbal, Lior, Noam, Ofri and Reut, and 13 grandchildren — Mai, Daphne, Itai, Lia, Noy, Gili, Naomi, Ella, Daria, Neta, Ofir, Ayana and Arbel.
Born in Givatayim, Chaim joined a Labor Zionist youth group that brought him at age 18 to Nir Oz, where he remained for the rest of his life. He served during his army service in the Paratroopers Brigade and went on to fight in four major Israeli wars, including the Six Day War and the Yom Kippur War.
In the kibbutz he worked in the mechanic shop, learning to work with iron and metals and later using them to create sculptures. In 1999 he turned an abandoned building inside the kibbutz into an art gallery known as the “White House.” He was also a film teacher who wrote his own screenplays, and in later years wrote two children’s books — one of which was published after his death.
He and his wife, Osnat, together raised his oldest two children from his first marriage, her daughter from her first marriage and their two shared children together in the kibbutz in harmony. Chaim was also a peace activist who volunteered for the Road to Recovery organization which drove Gazan children from the border to Israeli hospitals for treatment. He loved Hapoel Tel Aviv, classic Israeli music and sipping on a glass of wine.
Writing in Israel Hayom, his wife, Osnat, said that “words cannot describe the depth of my sadness or the hole that is left in our family’s heart.”
“Chaim was a pillar of strength, dad to our five children and grandfather to our 13 dear grandchildren. He was an entrepreneur, a peace activist, a man of vision and compassion, dedicated to building bridges and to fostering understanding.
“He was a man who dedicated his life to peace, but his life was cut short in violence and hatred,” she continued, noting that he was taken while protecting her, ultimately saving her life. “His spirit lives in the hearts of those who loved him, the lives he touched and the ideals he championed.”
The kibbutz shared a eulogy written together by his 13 grandchildren, who described him as “a legend in the family — a brand name. A unique, once-in-a-generation man.”
“Grandpa was the most optimistic, happiest, kindest person. He was one of the smartest people we knew. Intelligent and sharp. He always knew what to say and what to advise,” they wrote. “A man of who believed in equality, peace, mutual respect and acceptance. A man who led by example and uncompromising action. Grandpa was humble, loved the little things, spoke seriously but always knew how to make us laugh.”
“Thank you for the uncompromising path you paved for us and from which we will continue, each on his own path.”
