Israel on Wednesday, October 7, marked three years since the deadly Hamas-led attack of October 7, 2023, with nationwide memorial events, moments of silence and renewed protests over the government’s handling of the crisis.
The anniversary was observed at more than 400 locations across the country, with families of victims, survivors, public institutions and community groups gathering to remember those killed and abducted during the attack.
A national moment of silence began at exactly 6:29 a.m., corresponding to the time the Hamas-led militants breached Israel’s border security barriers three years ago.
The attack left more than 1,200 people dead, including women, children and elderly residents, while 251 people were taken hostage and transported into the Gaza Strip.
One of the major commemorative events was held at the site of the Nova music festival near Re’im in southern Israel. More than 370 people were killed at the festival, while 44 others were abducted during the assault.
Another nationwide moment of reflection took place at noon, with hospitals, municipalities, universities, businesses and other institutions joining the remembrance.
Survivors, families demand inquiry
This year’s anniversary also exposed continuing disagreements over how Israel should address the failures that preceded the October 7 attack.
While the government conducted official ceremonies earlier in the week at Mount Herzl Cemetery in Jerusalem, many of Wednesday’s events were organised by grassroots groups representing survivors and families of victims.
Among the groups involved were the Kumu movement and the October Council, which have continued to demand an independent state commission of inquiry into the intelligence, security and political failures surrounding the attack.
The proposed commission would have the authority to investigate the circumstances that allowed the assault to occur and examine the decisions made before and during the attack.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has resisted calls for such a commission, a position that has continued to draw criticism from opponents and families affected by the October 7 assault.
Netanyahu highlights military campaign
Speaking during a cabinet session connected to the anniversary, Netanyahu focused on Israel’s continuing military campaign.
The prime minister said Israeli forces had killed or neutralised about 4,000 of the estimated 6,000 militants who participated in the initial attack and indicated that Israel’s military operations would continue.
The war that followed the Hamas assault has caused a devastating humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Palestinian health authorities in the territory have reported more than 74,000 deaths since the conflict began in October 2023.
October 7 accountability dominates election debate
The anniversary comes less than three weeks before Israel’s October 27 legislative election, making responsibility for the October 7 security failure a major political issue.
Opposition figures, including former army chief Gadi Eisenkot and former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, visited communities near the Gaza border on Wednesday and renewed their criticism of Netanyahu.
They have argued that the government should allow an independent judicial investigation into the failures surrounding the attack before Israelis return to the polls.
For many Israelis, the third anniversary therefore served not only as a day of remembrance but also as a renewed debate over accountability, national security and the political decisions that preceded the Hamas assault.
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