Nili Margalit

Nili Margalit is a highly valued children's nurse from Kibbutz Nir Oz. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Nursing and a Master's degree in Health Systems Management. Ayelet, the Nursing Director at the 'Saban' Children's Hospital at Soroka, describes her as professional, sharp in diagnosis and judgment, and full of compassion with a unique approach to child care. Nili serves as a role model: in addition to her work at Soroka, she patiently trains the next generation of nurses at Ben Gurion University's Faculty of Health Sciences.
Her friends, calling her ‘Nilush’, share that she loves her kibbutz, especially the dining hall. She adores her three nephews, pouring her heart into them and even whisking them away for the perfect vacation abroad, organized in a way that only Nili knows how. They say that Nili is a huge fan of live concerts, especially those of Assaf Avidan and Idan Amedi, and she would go to great lengths for a good cup of coffee, a slice of cheesecake, or an especially rich chocolate cake..
Nili is always ready for anything, be it a sudden hunger pang or a snack craving. One might say she is often over-prepared, meticulously planning for world trips at every chance she gets. Nili is the first to sort out the travel logistics, from booking flights and hotels to lining up the attractions. If you are with Nili, you don't need to worry about a thing; she's got it all covered.
Nili never imagined having to prepare for such a horrific experience as being kidnapped to Gaza. On Saturday October 7, amidst the terror, Nili found herself in a nightmarish reality as her community was invaded by Hamas terrorists, leading to significant casualties and abductions. In the morning hours of that terrible Saturday, Nili locked herself and her beloved dog Natchy-Natch in her safe room, while hearing gunfire and shouts in Arabic outside. When the attackers broke through the door, Nili made sure her dog could escape. Then, a couple of Gazan civilians forcibly took her to Khan Younis, Gaza, where she was sold to Hamas and taken down a tunnel to “Lower Gaza”.

The destruction that followed was immense, with Nili's home being completely burned down. Until the testimony of Yocheved Lifshitz, one of the women hostages who was held with Nili, and released three weeks later, it was unknown that Nili had been kidnapped and was alive. Amongst the hostages, Nili stood out for her resilience and dedication to helping others, even in captivity; “caring for people, just like she always does,” as one of her friends phrased it.
Nili single-handedly established a clinic inside a tunnel in the heart of Gaza. Throughout her captivity, Nili meticulously managed medication records, ensured proper dosing, and monitored the blood pressure of the older hostages, demonstrating professionalism and compassion under dire circumstances. She dealt with a wide range of chronic diseases and various injuries from the day of the abduction, utilizing her extensive professional knowledge and the creativity required under the conditions in which they were held.
Nili treated her fellow men and women in captivity with dedication and professionalism, risking her own life in the process. Her conduct not only helped save lives, but also served as a critical negotiation tool with the terrorists for the delivery of essential medications, highlighting the severe consequences of neglect.
Held in a tunnel, 40 meters underground, Nili was most of the time together with 12 other, older, Israeli civilians. She found comfort in the presence of 72-year-old Adina Moshe, her childhood caregiver on the kibbutz. The two connected immediately and identified themselves as ‘mother and daughter’.
Intuitively preparing for her own release, just in case, Nili passed her role as hostages’ own nurse to Yarden Bibas, her friend from Nir Oz who was held with her. Yarden Bibas, his wife and their two red-head boys remain in Hamas captivity at the time of writing these words.

Nili was released after 55 days in “Lower Gaza”, as part of a temporary ceasefire agreement. Sadly, shortly after Nili's return home, it was revealed that her father, Eliyahu ‘Churchill’ Margalit, also declared as hostage, had been murdered by Hamas terrorists on October 7. Eliyahu Margalit’s remains are still held in the hands of the terror organization.
Upon her return to Israel, Nili was reunited with her mother, her brother and adorable Natchi, all of whom luckily survived the attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz.
When Nili was held hostage in Gaza, medical professionals from all over the world were photographed with her “kidnapped” sign, raising awareness to bring her home. Currently, Nili is actively engaged in efforts to secure the freedom of all remaining hostages. Nili met with senior executives of American companies, including the CEO of Pfizer, as well as the UN Secretary-General at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where she shared with them the critical need for ensuring that captives receive necessary medications, and come home soon.