Nitai Amar

Captain Nitai Amar, z"l, from Kibbutz Alumim, served as the Brigade Engineering Officer in the Gaza Division. 

On Shabbat Simchat Torah, at half past six in the morning, Kibbutz Alumim woke up to the sound of a red color warning. The rocket barrages, the rocket launchers and the shootings did not stop. Nitai, who was armed, entered the house for a few minutes with his parents and brother, but did not stay. After he realized that there was an infiltration of terrorists, he muttered to his parents, "They need me", and left to join the battle, from which he did not return.

He was killed in a battle with the terrorists at the entrance to the Re'im base. Gunshot marks were found on his car door, which was completely destroyed. Apparently, Nitai encountered the terrorists, abandoned the vehicle and walked down to the entrance to the base. He fought in the battle that took place there and together with other soldiers, they managed to eliminate between ten and seventeen terrorists. At half past one, he still had time to call his friend Aden, but she didn't have time to understand what he wanted to say. He was killed instantly, by a bullet to the head.

Nitai and his sisters were born into the reality of 'red color' alerts as part of the routine. Nitai's sister, Mater, remembers that since she was nine years old, after the evacuation from Gush Katif, the color red entered their lives. The security situation in the settlement, which is only four kilometers from the Gaza Strip, affected their lives. For example, during Operation Tzuk Eitan, Nitai reached the mitzvah, but the conversion to the Torah could not take place in the kibbutz because of the fighting, and all the family members had to zip up to the Moshav Aloni Hashan in the Golan Heights to celebrate it there and so that the many guests would agree to come without fear.

Nitai was a beloved, prominent and charismatic boy. A born leader, who is always surrounded by a lot of friends. A handsome, funny and witty boy who loved his friends in the kibbutz, and loved to travel and sing. He attended elementary school in the nearby Kibbutz Saad and high school in the Yavneh group, under boarding conditions. He was attracted to subjects such as mathematics, physics and software engineering and had an 'economic head'. His sisters describe him as a serious and smart boy but also as a mischievous one, who loves fun and laughs with the guys. Both agree on one central feature of his personality - being ambitious and goal-oriented.

Yahal: "Ever since he was little, he had big dreams. He dreamed of being a pilot, dreamed of a career in the army and in civilian life, always wanted to advance and improve, to be the best version of himself." Nitai not only dreamed but also did, and from a young age he had ideas for start-ups and various ventures. Even before the age of twenty, he had already invested in stocks, worked as a publicist for parties, set up a store on e-bay and entered as a partner in various businesses. According to Yehal, in his short years of life he accomplished a lot, like people much older than him.