Israel marks three years since October 7 attack with memorials and protests

Israel Observes Third Anniversary of October 7 With Tributes, Protests and Calls for Accountability

Activelifezero.com – Israel paused Tuesday to remember the October 7, 2023 assault, three years after Hamas-led attackers crossed from Gaza and carried out the deadliest day in the country’s history. Ceremonies, vigils and protest actions were planned at more than 400 sites, reflecting both national mourning and an unresolved political argument over responsibility for the failures surrounding the attack.

At 6:29 a.m., the exact time the assault began, communities observed a nationwide silence. Hamas-led gunmen attacked Israeli towns and communities near the Gaza border, killing more than 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages into Gaza. The victims included children, older people, women and entire families.

A second minute of reflection was scheduled for noon, led by bereaved relatives and grassroots civic groups. Hospitals, municipalities, universities and private companies were expected to participate, extending the commemoration beyond official state events.

Memorials at places marked by the attack

One of the most significant gatherings was set for the Nova music festival site in the Re’im Forest. More than 370 people were killed there, while 44 others were abducted. The location has become a central symbol of the violence that unfolded during the attack and of the continuing trauma carried by survivors and families.

Memorial displays, vehicle convoys and demonstrations were also expected across the country throughout the day. While many events focused on remembrance, others sought to keep pressure on Israel’s political leadership as the country approaches an October 27 election.

Shir Mathias, whose parents Shachar and Shlomi Mathias were killed at Kibbutz Holit near the Gaza border, used the anniversary to call for a change in leadership.

“Just before we enter October 7, I have one message,” she wrote on X. “Everyone who had their hand on the wheel, those in uniforms and suits alike — must go home. I call on all citizens of Israel, change your profile picture to the most self-evident message: ‘Everyone must go home.’”

On Wednesday evening, a large public memorial was planned in Tel Aviv, where tens of thousands of people were expected. The Kumu movement, whose Hebrew name means “Rise Up,” organized the event. It represents survivors and relatives of people affected by October 7. Former hostage Eli Sharabi and actor Shani Cohen were scheduled to host.

Official remembrance and an ongoing war debate

Israel’s formal state memorial ceremonies took place Monday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referred to the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, when the attack occurred, and said its events remain deeply embedded in the national memory.

“Even three years after the outbreak of the war — when the State of Israel is stronger than ever — the terrible hours of the Simchat Torah attack remain seared within us,” Netanyahu said.

At a cabinet meeting the following day, Netanyahu indicated that Israel’s military campaign against those involved in the attack was not finished. He said Israel had killed 4,000 of the 6,000 militants who entered Israel on October 7, 2023.

“We will reach all of them,” he said.

The remarks came as Israeli strikes in Gaza continued on a near-daily basis, despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire effort that had stalled a year earlier. Since the war began, the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza has recorded more than 73,000 Palestinian deaths in the territory.

The anniversary therefore arrives at a moment when grief, security concerns and political divisions remain closely linked. For many Israelis, the day is not solely a retrospective commemoration. It is also a demand for answers about how the attack was allowed to happen and what should follow from it.

Grassroots groups press for a state inquiry

Many of Wednesday’s events were organized independently by survivors, families of victims and groups including the October Council and Kumu. Their most persistent demand is the establishment of a state commission of inquiry.

Such a commission is Israel’s strongest legal mechanism for investigating national disasters and major government decisions. It can examine failures at the highest levels of the state. Netanyahu has resisted calls to establish one during the past three years and has not created another special inquiry into the events of October 7.

Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan Zangauker was freed after being held hostage, has become one of the government’s most prominent critics. In a message posted Tuesday, she connected personal loss with the broader call for national accountability.

“Three years since the day that changed my life and our lives as a people. Three years of loss and pain. Three years of a basic demand for accountability. For those we lost, for those who returned and whose lives were changed forever, and for a country that deserves hope and repair.”

With less than three weeks remaining before the election, accountability has become an important campaign issue. Netanyahu’s opponents have intensified criticism of his government, particularly after media reports alleged that Israel had received preliminary warnings from the United Arab Emirates and Egypt before the assault.

Gadi Eisenkot, who is polling as Netanyahu’s principal challenger, described the events as a profound failure and accused the prime minister of avoiding a state investigation. Eisenkot’s own family was touched by the war: his son was killed in Gaza.

“This is a very deep failure,” Eisenkot said. “Netanyahu knows better than anyone why he is running from the truth, why he wants to bury the truth.”

Three years after October 7, the memorials show how the attack continues to shape Israeli public life. The ceremonies honor those killed and those still living with its consequences, while the protests underscore that the debate over leadership, warning signs and accountability remains far from settled.