Oded Lifshitz

Oded Lifshitz (עודד ליפשיץ; born 1940) is a retired Israeli journalist who was kidnapped during the Nir Oz massacre as a part of the surprise attack on Israel.

Biography
Lifshitz grew up in Haifa and graduated from the city's Hebrew Reali School in 1957. He participated in the Hashomer Hatzair in his youth, and served in the 50th Battalion of the Parachute Nahal. He was one of the founding members of Kibbutz Nir Oz in 1955, serving as both coordinator and treasurer early on in the village's history. He defended Bedouin residents of Rafah when the IDF attempted to evacuate the Sinai Peninsula and was an on-the-grounds journalist who reported about the 1982 refugee camp massacre in Beirut.

From 1983 to 1995 he worked as a journalist at Al HaMishmar. He prepared articles for the radio program "A Light Hour on Economics", which broadcast on Army Radio.

Lifshitz is married to Yocheved, a former physical education teacher and current photographer. They have four children, as well as grandchildren and a great-grandchild. One of their grandchildren, Daniel Lifshitz, is a former footballer. He and his wife are peace activists who worked for Israeli organization "On the Way to Recovery", which helps aid Palestinian citizens in need of medical care in getting transportation to Israeli hospitals across the border.

Abduction
On October 7, 2023, during the Nir Oz massacre, Lifshitz and his wife were kidnapped from their home to the Gaza Strip by members of Hamas, and their home was set on fire. Their daughter, Sharone, spoke to news outlets stating that her parents were in danger, as they needed medication and that her mother used an oxygen mask when she slept. The National Union of Journalists called for their release. On October 23, his wife was released.