Israel Marks Third Anniversary of October 7 Attack With Election Weeks Away
Israel is marking three years since Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack, with memorials held under heightened security. The anniversary falls three weeks before a general election.
Israel on Wednesday commemorates the third anniversary of the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, the deadliest day in the country's history. The events are the first of their kind since a ceasefire formally took effect in Gaza last year. The anniversary comes three weeks before general elections, in which the attack is expected to feature prominently.
The attack and its toll
Palestinian fighters crossed the border and stormed southern Israel using guns, rockets and grenades. An AFP tally based on official Israeli figures puts the death toll at 1,221. The militants also took 251 hostages into Gaza, 44 of whom were already dead.
Ceremonies and security
At 6:29 a.m. local time, the exact moment the assault began three years ago, a tribute is planned at Kibbutz Kfar Aza near the Gaza border, where 64 residents were killed and 18 abducted. Another event will take place at the site of the Nova music festival, where more than 370 people were killed and dozens seized. In the evening, bereaved families will gather in a Tel Aviv park.
Security has been tightened. A week ago, authorities foiled an attack on a passenger plane bound for Tel Aviv. On Tuesday, Israel's defence minister said he had put the military on high alert, citing intelligence that Hamas intends to attack troops in Gaza on the anniversary.
State ceremonies were held on Monday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there would be no Hamas rule in Gaza and pledged to keep pursuing anyone involved in the attack or in holding hostages.
Situation in Gaza
Israel's military response has left most of Gaza in ruins and killed more than 74,200 people, according to Gaza's health ministry, which operates under Hamas authority; the United Nations considers its figures reliable. Over the three years, Israel has also widened its military operations across the region, including against Hezbollah and Iran.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire despite the fragile US-brokered ceasefire declared last October, with hundreds of thousands of people still living in tents and temporary structures. The territory's political future and reconstruction remain largely stalled. Israel says it controls more than 60 percent of the Gaza Strip and continues airstrikes. Since the ceasefire, Israeli forces have killed more than 1,430 people in Gaza, the health ministry says.
