Oct. 7, remembered in Israel and beyond

Israeli President Isaac Herzog and first lady Michal Herzog opened Wednesday’s commemorations marking three years since the Oct. 7 massacre by lighting a memorial candle at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem at 6:29 a.m., the time the Hamas-led attack began.

At the Knesset, relatives of victims and hostages recited “Yizkor,” a Jewish memorial prayer for the deceased. In southern Israel, survivors and bereaved families gathered at the former site of the Nova music festival near Kibbutz Re’im, where 378 people were killed and 44 abducted to Gaza.

The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem on Wednesday vowed to stand with Israel, saying in a post on X it remembers “the innocent lives murdered by Hamas terrorists.” It also honored “the heroes who risked everything to save others.”

“We remember. We stand with Israel,” the post concluded.

Official state commemorations for Oct. 7 were held in Israel on Monday, according to the Hebrew calendar date established by the government, separate from the national events being held on the Gregorian anniversary on Wednesday.

Some 6,000 terrorists from Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Fatah, along with unaffiliated Gazan “civilians,” crossed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, murdering some 1,200 people, wounding thousands and kidnapping 251.

Israel launched its ground offensive in Gaza on Oct. 27, 2023, with the stated goals of destroying Hamas’s military and governing capabilities, returning the hostages and ensuring Gaza could no longer threaten Israel.

The conflict subsequently expanded across the region, with Israel fighting Hezbollah in Lebanon, terrorist groups in Judea and Samaria, conducting operations in Syria, confronting Houthi attacks from Yemen, striking targets in Iran and responding to attacks from Iran-backed militias in Iraq.

The Israel Defense Forces said on Tuesday that it struck approximately 100,000 targets across multiple fronts, over the three years since Oct. 7. More than 31,500 projectiles were launched at Israel during the same period.

The military said 970 personnel were killed in operational circumstances during the war. More than 70% of wounded soldiers returned to service, while the IDF reserve force grew by approximately 36% as the military established a series of new combat, defense and support formations.

On Wednesday, Israel Police Commissioner Daniel Levi and the force’s senior command saluted and observed a minute of silence at 6:29 a.m. at sites where officers fell on Oct. 7, 2023, the Israel Police said.

The main ceremony took place at the site of the former police station in Sderot, where terrorists seized the building, killed 11 officers and fought Israeli security forces for hours until the station was demolished.

Memorial ceremonies were also held at other sites where police and Border Police officers were killed defending civilians. A commemorative convoy was set to leave for Re’im as part of the senior command’s visit to southern Israel.

“The Israel Police bows its head in memory of its fallen, and continues to carry their memory and legacy. We stand with and support the bereaved families and the police officers who were wounded in the battles defending the State of Israel and its citizens,” the statement said.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Tuesday night marked the third anniversary of the massacre by calling it the “beginning of the end for Zionism” and claiming the terrorist assault “shattered” the image of the Israeli military’s “invincibility.”

The IRGC statement claimed that regional strategic conditions had shifted in favor of Tehran and its allies and warned that any new military action against the Islamic Republic would draw a “painful and devastating response.”

Israel’s National Security Council on Tuesday warned that terror organizations, including Iran, its proxies and other global jihadist groups, view the anniversary as a significant milestone, adding that public disturbances are also expected to increase worldwide.

The council advised Israelis not to post travel plans on social media in advance and to avoid destinations under Israel’s highest, Level 4 travel warning: Jordan, Qatar, Somaliland and Egypt, including the Sinai Peninsula.

In destinations under Level 3 warnings, including South Africa, Thailand and Morocco, Israelis were advised to minimize speaking Hebrew in crowded areas, stay away from demonstrations and avoid large gatherings.

According to a report released Monday by Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, 262 pro-Palestinian protests in 37 countries are scheduled between Oct. 1 and Oct. 14, with the largest concentration expected during the weekend following Oct. 7. The ministry classified 87 of the events—about one-third—as posing a medium or high level of risk.

The United States has the most identified events, with 45, followed by Spain with 40, Australia with 21, the United Kingdom with 19 and Italy with 16. Germany and Canada each have 14 events, while France has 10 and the Netherlands eight.

The ministry classified New York, Los Angeles, Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Melbourne, Sydney, London, Berlin, Amsterdam, Athens, Milan, Rome, Barcelona, Paris, Istanbul, Bangkok, Bogotá and Santiago as the highest-risk locations.