"They Took His Head as a Trophy": The Heartbreaking New Details of Nirel Zini’s Murder on Oct. 7
In a chilling Knesset testimony, Nirel Zini’s father revealed that his son was decapitated during the Hamas massacre. Buried next to his fiancée Niv Raviv, Nirel’s family is fighting for closure as they seek to recover his remains from Hamas captivity.
In a heart-wrenching disclosure at the Knesset yesterday, the family of Nirel Zini revealed that the 31-year-old was decapitated during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Kibbutz Kfar Aza, with his head taken into Gaza as a trophy by the terrorists. Zini's headless and severely burned body was recovered and buried alongside his fiancée, Niv Raviv, 27, in Netanya, following a joint funeral attended by thousands
The revelation came from Zini's father, Amir Zini, during a speech prompted by advocacy from Brigadier General (res.) Oren Solomon, highlighting the ongoing trauma for families of October 7 victims.
The family has called for the establishment of a dedicated intelligence team to locate and retrieve Zini's head for a proper reburial, emphasizing the need for closure amid reports of similar mutilations during the attacks.
Zini and Raviv, who met during their IDF service and had been together for eight years, were murdered in their home after terrorists infiltrated the kibbutz. The couple had been planning an engagement, but instead, their deaths became part of the broader atrocities that day, which included documented cases of decapitation and body desecration.
This incident parallels the case of Adir Tahar, whose decapitated head was later recovered from Gaza after being offered for sale by Hamas operatives.
In memory of the couple, the Niv Nirel Center was established in 2025 to foster unity across religious and societal divides in Israel, reflecting their shared vision of bridging gaps between communities.