What happened
Israel marked the third anniversary of the Hamas-led October 7 attack with memorials and calls for an inquiry. The attack occurred on October 7, 2023, when Hamas members breached the Gaza Strip border, stormed Israeli military bases and communities, and attacked the Nova music festival. Approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed in Israel, and 251 were abducted into Gaza.
The assault triggered a war in Gaza, resulting in over 74,000 Palestinian deaths, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Israeli President Isaac Herzog and his wife, Michal, lit a memorial candle at the presidential residence in Jerusalem to honor those killed in the attack and the war that followed.
Across the country, remembrance was accompanied by demands for accountability, with protest convoys and demonstrators gathering outside Cabinet ministers' homes. Organizers called for a state commission of inquiry into the failures surrounding the attack, which has not been established yet.
Families of victims and survivors are working to rebuild their lives, with some finding ways to honor their loved ones' memories. Former hostages have also shared their experiences, recounting their struggles to survive and find strength in their faith and relationships with others.
