Daijiworld Media Network - Jerusalem
Jerusalem, Oct 7: Israel on Wednesday marked three years since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack that killed around 1,200 people and saw 251 hostages taken to Gaza, triggering a military campaign that has devastated much of the Palestinian enclave.
Memorial events were being held across Israel, including a vigil at the site of the Nova music festival near the Gaza border, where hundreds of young people were killed during the attack. A separate commemoration was also scheduled at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv.
The anniversary is the first since all Israeli hostages were released, exchanged or recovered, with the remains of the last hostage recovered in January. It comes just 20 days before Israel’s first general election since the attack, with the October 7 events expected to remain a major issue in the campaign.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected responsibility for the security failure surrounding the attack and resisted calls for an independent investigation. A poll by the Israel Democracy Institute found that 68% of Jewish Israelis considered the events of October 7 a very or fairly central factor in deciding which party to support.
The anniversary also comes a year after a US-brokered ceasefire that halted major fighting but has failed to resolve key disputes over Hamas’ disarmament and the withdrawal of Israeli forces.
Israel continues to control around two-thirds of Gaza, while Hamas retains control of the remaining area, where much of the population is living in makeshift shelters and damaged buildings. Reconstruction efforts have made limited progress amid continued disagreements between the two sides.
Gaza health authorities say more than 74,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of Israel’s military campaign. More than 1,400 Palestinians have reportedly been killed since the October 2025 ceasefire, while the Israeli military says five soldiers have died during the same period.
Ceasefire talks remain deadlocked, with Israel insisting that Hamas must fully disarm before a complete military withdrawal, while Hamas has said it will not surrender its weapons as long as Israeli attacks continue.