Mourners gather on the third anniversary
The campaign of remembrance began early on 7 October, when families and citizens lifted flowers, flags and photographs at historic sites that were hit on 7 October. 1,200 people were killed in the coordinated raid that also left 251 hostages, and the memorials spanned from Dizengoff Square to small kibbutz cemeteries.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the crowds in Tel Aviv, saying that the nation would continue to “hold the perpetrators accountable” and forming a presidential candle in their memory. He rejected calls for an independent Supreme Court‑led inquiry, arguing that the judiciary would be biased against him.
The Gaza Strip remains a battlefield, with Hamas‑run health numbers stating more than 74,200 Palestinians have died so far. Despite a ceasefire agreed almost a year ago, daily shelling keeps civilians trapped in a war zone with severe shortages of food, water and medical supplies.
Memorials outside Israel showed the conflict’s wider impact: a vigil at Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate, a protest outside Downing Street and a speech by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz that urged a new, steadfast resolve against antisemitism. US President Donald Trump voiced support for Israel, while the EU’s Ursula von der Leyen called for turning a fragile ceasefire into durable peace.
