Gaza Envelope (Otef)/nova Festival Memorial Tour

Very meaningful trip. Our guide Simon was magnificent in recounting events. He was very sensitive to events and persons, particularly those who were murdered. I will be recommending him to family and friends.

Simon Oster, the guide is the best tour guide I have every used in my many years of extensive world travels! I have also taken and will take future tours with him I am signed up for shortly. His depth of knowledge, engaging, yet straightforward, no hype tours are curated, fascinating, unique and first class. He goes above and beyond personally and professionally for all the tourists. His tours are all unique and extraordinary, not the usual sites. I wish he could guide me around the world! He probably can! He also offers ancillary services like airport pick up and delivery that include explanations and guiding at no extra price! He is one in a million! Thank you Simon!

Simon handled this emotional tour with great sensitivity and care. He was incredibly knowledgable but unsurprising when he had a family member affected by Oct 7th! Throughout the day we felt incredibly moved and always safe. Simon ensured he gave us time and space where needed to review things on our own. We were picked up from our apartment in central TLV and found his car incredibly comfortable and we were super grateful that he also thought to bring extra ice cold water for us as we ran out quite quickly as well as yummy snacks. We enjoyed the opportunity to eat lunch on one of the impacted Kibbutzim (£25 extra pp paid directly to them) and sit in the Sukkah and see how the residents were recovering and still living life with love and resilience

An amazing 'experience'. Bear witness and go. Simon is an amazing guide.

Simon was not only knowledgeable but such a pleasure to be with. His stories brought the experience to life. I would highly recommend taking his tours to everyone.

Knowledgeable, pleasant, enjoyed the trip

An incredibly moving & deeply meaningful tour. Simon is extremely knowledgeable & he guided us with compassion, respect & sensitivity. This tour was profoundly impactful & the manner in which he shared the stories has left a lasting emotional impression that we will carry in our hearts forever.

This was one of the most powerful, moving and meaningful tours I have ever experienced. Simon Oster Tour Guide was exceptional—knowledgeable, engaging and incredibly well-informed. What made the tour so special was Simon’s ability to connect us with the stories of the terrible atrocities of the 7th October behind the places we visited. Every stop was thoughtfully explained, and the day was handled with great sensitivity and respect. We never felt rushed, and all questions were welcomed and answered thoroughly. I would highly recommend this tour with Simon Oster Tour Guide to anyone living in or visiting Israel. Thank you Simon for an unforgettable day and an outstanding experience.

What a wonderful albeit emotional day we had touring the Gaza envelope Simon is sooooo knowledgeable, a truly convivial, relaxed and warm gentleman to boot. At every turn on our many stops he had such fascinating stories that only enhanced our experience. Not to mention he picked us up in a super comfy roomy car and is an excellent driver, and was so lovely, courteous and completely watching for our pace as we made our stops along an emotionally impactful journey through the Gaza envelope many kibbutz and many profound memorials. His knowledge and insight into all was stellar. If you’re looking through reviews just stop right here !! Simon is super special and we look forward to touring with him again. We have been to Israel many times but we will so enjoy exploring other adventures again together with him! Thank you dear Simon! Hilary and Andres K

Our experience with Simon was outstanding. He is knowledgeable, experienced and professional. In addition he is engaging and had us involved during the entire tour. He was warm, sensitive and a pleasure to tour with. This is one tour we we will never forget!

Thank You Simon for a unforgettable day This Gaza Envelope tour was one of the most meaningful and impactful experiences I’ve ever had. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable, sensitive, and respectful, providing deep historical context while centering the human stories behind the places we visited.

Our tour with Simon was fantastic. He is very knowledgeable and kind. I learned a lot and was able to see so much in one day.

Simon was a most informative tour guide. He had lots to share regarding the history of the event as well as biblical and modern history of Israel. This is an emotional tour and he set the proper tone at all venues. Would truly recommend Simon for this and probably any of his other tours. He was also very accommodating with our schedule. 5 Stars!!!

Simon gave us an excellent tour of the Otef. He was extremely accommodating to our various needs. His comprehensive knowledge of history, combined with his sensitivity, resulted in a very meaningful day which helped shape our understanding of the atrocities that occurred on October 7th.

Amazing tour! Simons personal experience made it that much more poignant. Such a caring and knowledgeable tour guide. Simon shows such consideration for everyone on the tour, and he can relate to all ages and backgrounds.! Would like to do many more tours with him!

I would like to highly recommend Simon, the tour operator who guided my family through the Otef Gaza region. We began the day with some understandable apprehension, but Simon immediately set a thoughtful and reassuring tone by starting our visit at Yad Mordechai, where he gave an excellent overview of the area’s history, beginning with the earliest modern Jewish communities. Throughout the day, Simon took us to a number of important sites close to the Gaza border, including a viewpoint over the region, the grounds where a major music event had taken place, several protected structures used by local residents, & neighbourhoods that were significantly affected. We finished our tour at the location of the Sderot police station, an important landmark in recent events. Simon was exceptionally knowledgeable, & he presented everything with clarity, balance, & great sensitivity. Despite the challenging nature of the subject matter, he made the experience meaningful, accessible, & deeply informative. His professionalism, empathy, & understanding of the region were evident throughout the day. Simon is a licensed Israeli tour guide, & based on this experience, I would not hesitate to hire him again to explore other parts of Israel. I wholeheartedly recommend him.

Wonderful moving experience to see how inhuman Hamas were. Just animals. Learned and saw so much of the horror they inflicted on totally innocent people. Wonderful guide, explains everything fully. Well worth the money.

Was an absolutely amazing programme. Saw everything we hope for and more. Learnt so much about this horror day in history. It’s a long trip, lot to absorb,, a lot of emotion.

Touring the Gaza Envelope, particularly after October 7 2023, takes a special guide. It requires someone with not only the knowledge of the event but also the history of the kibbutzim movement and its evolution. Simon has a very friendly nature making you feel comfortable from the get go. His knowledge of the area and explanations of the kibbutzim and the tragic events of October 7 2023 was exactly what we were looking for. Simon did not disappoint. We highly recommend Simon and will definitely call on him again.

Very knowledgeable guide. Very good experience. Very informative. Would recommend highly. Very accommodating We would definitely call him again on our next visit.

Simon, our tour guide took us on a comprehensive tour of the Gaza envelope related to the devastation from the massacre of October 7, 2023. We visited a multitude of sites including some of the kibbutzim that were targeted by the terrorists, bomb shelters where atrocities occurred, the Nova festival memorial site, the car cemetery and the Sderot police station memorial. At the end of the day we all enjoyed an uplifting visit to Shuva junction where we spoke with soldiers on the front line. Throughout the tour Simon shared stories of what happened to many of the victims on that horrible day . The tour was meaningful and highly recommended. Simon was a wonderful guide - extremely knowledgeable and happy to answer any questions we had.

Simon was an amazing guide for our tour today or the Gaza Envelope. Not only was he incredibly aware of the history and events surrounding October 7, but also brought to life the historical significances of the area throughout time and the changes through the years that have taken place there. The tour was incredibly comprehensive encompassing a number of Kibbutzim that are significant to the history of the Gaza area, but also many of those hard hit by the monstrous attach by Gaza on October 7th. We spent emotional time at many of the sites with detailed explanations of the occurrences there with stories of many of the murder victims and hostages as well as survivors. Lunch at the Alumim Kibutz was especially wonderful as it gave us a real life experience of the communal nature of the Kibbutz something that felt very personal to my wife Jacqi who had worked for three months on a Kibbutz many years ago. Especially inspiring was the visit to the car graveyard memorial site followed by a visit to the Shuva rest stop where we were able to talk with some of the soldiers serving in Gaza and let them know how much they are loved and respected by us for protecting our homeland. It was truly an amazing encounter with these brave soldiers. Our final stop was at the Police Station Memorial at Sderot which was both tragic and inspiring with a beautiful memorial park established where the original station once stood. Through it all Simon provided us with anectdotes both tragic and informative, answered our million questions provided us with water, snacks and memorial candles as well as a souvenir of our excursion and even gave us door to door service. I cannot recommend him more highly. This was truly an eye opening, tragic and momentous experience and Simon guidance was the center piece to it all. Recommend 12 out of 10 Marshall and Jacqi Vancouver BC

This was an unforgettable and life changing experience to see first hand what happened on that dark Shabbat. Simon is sensitive, knowledgable and approachable and caters to the group’s needs and interests. The car is clean and well equipped with tissues, chargers and waters etc. Simon was very prompt collecting us all and ran to time without anything feeling rushed or wanting us to rush. I cannot recommend highly enough. Thank you so much for a truly meaningful day.

Huge recommendation for Simon! What a fantastic guy. I really cannot express how thankful we were to find him. Simon took us (my aunt, two cousins and I) on a tour of the Gaza envelope. He picked us up from our accommodation and drove us around all day. The car was lovely and clean, plenty of room for 4 adults. Simon was on time with a very warm welcome. We instantly felt comfortable in his presence. Throughout the day we were given a huge amount of information, all presented in a historical and personal way. He was compassionate and careful. Supportive and respectful. He had thought of everything, drinks, snacks, maps, lunch, stops, toilet breaks. He really was the perfect tour guide and by the end of the day, he felt part of the family. I enjoyed his tour so much, I’ve immediately booked to go back and do another tour with my husband and children. Thank you Simon

Our guide Simon was absolutely incredible! The tour was very powerful and gave us an important perspective about the history of the area and ongoing events. Simon was also very attentive to our needs and made the day both informative and comfortable. We are highly recommending Simon to all of our friends and family and hope to see him again the next time we return to Israel!

This was an emotional and necessary trip during our visit to Israel, and Simon was the best guide. We drove past the affected kibbutzim and had a detailed explanation of events and stories of survivors. Of human loss and bravery. We stopped and explored the memorial site for the military viewing point victims, the brave women who fought so selflessly on the morning of 7 October, the rest of the trip was focussed on the site of the Nova Festival, and Simon was a sensitive and knowledgeable guide there. We were very impressed with Simon’s style and level of knowledge and his flexibility to cater for what we wanted to see. This was an unforgettable trip that we will cherish forever. We hope to come again with our children and friends. Huge thank you, Simon.

Simon took us to all the sites we expected to visit and more. Apart from his incredible knowledge, he has a captivating way of putting it across which will always enthrall his audience.

We had an incredible experience on this tour, and Simon was truly an exceptional guide. From start to finish, he was thoughtful, professional, and deeply knowledgeable. He navigated the roads with care, provided snacks along the way, and even had a parting gift for us — not to mention his kindness in helping our son with some medicine for an upset stomach. This is a difficult and emotionally intense tour, but Simon handled it with great sensitivity and respect. He offered deep insight into the region and the events of October 7, helping us understand the context and significance of each stop. The itinerary was perfectly balanced — we saw just the right number of sites, and never felt rushed. Simon gave us the time and space to absorb and reflect. I wouldn’t hesitate for a second to recommend Simon to any friends or family. He’s a true professional and a compassionate guide — the kind you hope for on a tour like this.

Simon took us to several locations where he shared his knowledge of the tragic events of 10/7. He expertly balanced teaching, with respecting our needs to quietly absorb the different sites we visited quietly. A highlight for me was lunch at a kibbutz in the Gaza envelope, where we witnessed firsthand the Israeli peoples' indefatigble spirit. I would definitely hire Simon again!

Simon was not only informative and incredibly knowledgeable but also warm, friendly and very kind. We enjoyed our day immensely. He made a very hard subject to take in (Oct 7) very thought provoking and emotional in a sensitive and thoughtful way. I highly recommend him for any tour.