A week after October 7, photographer and IDF reservist Guy Sidi was contacted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to document what happened at Kibbutz Be'eri. Sidi, who had lost a friend at the Nova party, was one of the first photographers who entered the kibbutz, which witnessed one of the worst massacres at the hands of Hamas.
The powerful pictures Sidi took that day are part of the ebook “October 7 - Israel’s journey into rebuilding hope,” created by The Jerusalem Post in cooperation with Keren Kayemeth Le-Israel - Jewish National Fund, and offered for free to all our readers to mark the first anniversary of October 7.
“On October 7, 2023, Israel endured a savage attack that claimed lives and inflicted severe physical and psychological injuries,” said KKL-JNF Chairwoman Ifat Ovadia Luski. “This blood-soaked war continues to affect us as civilian mobilization for the war effort reaches its peak. Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund stands firmly with the affected communities and localities, working diligently to restore both the spirit and the tangible infrastructure of the Western Negev.”
“This visual journey not only depicts the devastation but also, in the same breath, highlights the hope and resilience of the Israeli people,” she added. “This year, our story is one of revival.”
The book includes 18 unique images taken not only at Beeri, but also at the Re’im Forest and in Gaza, where Sidi went on documenting wartime activities, including identifying bodies, evacuations, and other operations at the request of the military police.
After his friend Amit Maimoni established the first-ever photography division within the Gaza Strip, they entered the Strip multiple times to document the fighting.
“The scenes captured here will stay with us forever,” said Ovadia-Lusky. “KKL-JNF remains committed to being at the forefront of relief efforts, tirelessly assisting the victims, evacuees, and the State of Israel as a whole.”
“Together, we will ensure that Israel remains a symbol of resilience and hope, flourishing and thriving,” she concluded.
This article was written in cooperation with KKL-JNF.