Gaza Genocideupdated 1h ago2 min read
Israel Marks Three Years Since October 7 With Ceremonies Across 400 Locations
Israel began national remembrance ceremonies across about 400 locations to honor Oct. 7 victims. Around 1,200 killed and 251 hostages were reported in the Hamas attack.
ynetglobal was read line by line by the Watchdog: 7.1. See the score →
Commemorations Across Israel
Israel marked three years since the October 7 massacre with ceremonies and installations beginning at 6:29 a.m., the time the attack began, and with events planned at about 400 locations across the country.
Israel’s memorial program placed ceremonies at the site of the Nova music festival in the Re’im forest and at Sha’ar HaNegev arches junction, where the flag was set to be lowered to half-staff.
Israel’s Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor told the Eshkol ceremony, “Any attempt to attack IDF soldiers or residents of the Negev will be met with a sharp and powerful response from us.”
Israel’s Eshkol Regional Council head Michal Uziyahu said, “We will continue this journey together, demanding accountability and the establishment of a commission of inquiry.”
Netanyahu, Herzog, and the War
Benjamin Netanyahu warned during a Jerusalem ceremony that “Anyone involved in the attack and the kidnapping of our hostages lives with borrowed time,” as Israel commemorated security personnel killed during the attack. Isaac Herzog dedicated his participation to remembering the fallen and honoring the resilience of their families, while calling for unity of Israeli citizens ahead of national elections scheduled for the 27th of this month.
The Israeli army said military ceremonies commemorating the massacre began around 6:30 local time at various points across the country, following the time when the attack began. Israel continued striking Hezbollah while working to “sign peace with Lebanon.”
Aftermath, Hostages, and Stakes
The October 7 massacre left 1,200 people dead and 251 Israeli hostages kidnapped to the Gaza Strip, and this year’s memorials were described as the first since the return of Israeli hostages after last year’s ceasefire agreement. Despite the truce, “every day Israel conducts attacks in Gaza that result in deaths,” sometimes with drones targeting specific objectives attributed to Hamas members.
Jewish institutions in New York were gearing up to mark the third anniversary on Wednesday, and Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said “1,200 people were killed” and “another 251 taken hostage.” The Israel Defense Forces reported “Another 452 soldiers have been killed in the fighting since then,” while Gaza’s Ministry of Health reported “more than 74,000 Palestinians have been killed.”