Three years later, Israel remembers October 7

Israel held nationwide memorial events on Wednesday to mark three years since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israeli communities near the Gaza border that killed more than 1,200 people and took 251 hostages.

At 6:29 a.m., the time the attack began, people observed a national moment of silence.

Ceremonies and public gatherings took place at the Nova music festival site, where more than 370 people were killed, and 44 were abducted.

Survivors and victims’ families organized additional events and called for a state commission to investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack. Some groups also criticized the government for a lack of accountability.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attended official memorial ceremonies and spoke about Israel’s response to the attack.

Israel’s military offensive on Gaza after October 7 has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

The anniversary comes ahead of Israel’s October 27 election, with the government’s handling of the attack and calls for an investigation emerging as key political issues.