Israeli soldiers stationed in the Gaza Strip marked the start of Yom Hazikaron (Memorial Day) on Sunday evening by singing the national anthem.
The troops gathered at the Netzarim Corridor, the axis separating northern and southern Gaza, for the ceremony, as the Israeli flag was raised in front of them.
Observed for 24 hours starting at sundown Monday, after which the country transitions to Yom Ha’atzmaut, or Independence Day, this year’s official commemoration for fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism is particularly meaningful.
Since last Memorial Day (April 25, 2023), 1,594 Israeli soldiers and civilians have died. This includes 760 Israel Defense Forces soldiers (61 of whom succumbed to their wounds from previous years) and 834 civilians, of whom 822 were killed on or after the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks by Hamas in southern Israel, according to numbers released by the Israeli Ministry of Defense on Thursday.
Five soldiers were killed in the Gaza Strip over the weekend.
A total of 30,139 security personnel and civilians have been killed defending the Land of Israel and in terrorist attacks since 1860, the year in which the first Jews left the walls of Jerusalem to build new Jewish neighborhoods.