As hundreds of terrorists breached the Gaza border three combat soldiers ran to guard the gate of the Nahal Oz base.
By Hezy Laing
In the early morning hours of October 7th, 2023, the Nahal Oz IDF outpost became one of the first and fiercest battlegrounds in the Hamas invasion of southern Israel.
The Nahal Oz base, located just 850 meters from the Gaza border, was brutally targeted during the surprise assault.
Hamas’s elite Nukhba forces stormed the base in coordinated waves, exploiting detailed intelligence about its layout and personnel.
The attack began at dawn and overwhelmed the outpost within minutes.
As hundreds of terrorists breached the Gaza border, three combat soldiers—Adir Bogale, Dor Lazimi, and Ori Karmi—stood guard at the gate of the Nahal Oz base.
In the beginning Bogale stood alone at the entrance post of the base as Hamas launched its assault.
Under heavy fire, he was joined by Dor Lazimi and Ori Karmi.
The three fought off dozens of terrorists before being killed in action.
Bogale was the first to engage, firing at the approaching attackers with unwavering resolve, despite being alone and outnumbered.
Then Lazimi and Karmi sprinted through mortar fire to reinforce him, joining the fight at the gate in what would become a last stand.
The trio held their position for nearly an hour, repelling wave after wave of Hamas fighters, buying precious time for others inside the base to prepare or escape.
Inside the outpost, other soldiers like Yochai Duchan, Itay Ron, and Ibrahim Kharouba fought room by room, refusing to surrender even as the base was overrun.
Lt. Nimrod Eliraz, the only surviving combat soldier from the outpost, later described the chaos and courage of his fallen comrades, saying they fought “like lions.”
Eventually, the gate defenders were killed in action, their bodies later recovered and honored in national ceremonies.
The battle at Nahal Oz became a symbol of heroism and sacrifice, with footage and testimonies shared widely across Israeli media and social platforms.
In the aftermath, the IDF launched investigations into the base’s vulnerability, and families of the fallen demanded accountability and reform.
Memorials were erected, and the names of the gate defenders—Bogale, Lazimi, and Karmi—were etched into the collective memory of a grieving nation.
Their story was retold in schools, synagogues, and military ceremonies, inspiring a new generation of soldiers and citizens.
The battle also prompted upgrades to border defenses and changes in deployment protocols to prevent similar breaches.
Though the base was lost that day, the defenders of the Nahal Oz gate became eternal guardians of Israel’s spirit.
In total, 53 IDF soldiers died at Nahal Oz, making it one of the deadliest single-site losses in Israeli military history.
The 10 abducted soldiers were taken into Gaza, and their fates became a central focus of hostage rescue efforts.
Their courage under fire, their unity in the face of death, and their refusal to retreat turned tragedy into legacy.
And in the silence that followed the gunfire, their names echoed louder than any victory.
