Israel marks three years since October 7 attack as elections approach and Gaza strikes continue

Memorials across Israel

Israelis observed commemorations on Wednesday marking three years since the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas and allied factions. At 06:29 local time, relatives of victims gathered at the site of the Nova music festival near the Gaza border, bowing their heads for a minute of silence before portrait boards and flower arrangements. Militants using paragliders and vehicles killed 348 people at the festival grounds during the 2023 assault. Similar ceremonies took place across southern border communities, including Kibbutz Kfar Aza, where 64 people were killed and 18 taken captive. Government officials held a separate state service in Jerusalem on October 5, aligning with the date on the Hebrew calendar. Later on Wednesday evening, families scheduled an additional gathering at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv.

Hostage recovery and the Gaza toll

This anniversary is the first in which no Israeli hostages remain inside the Gaza Strip. The dead and living captives among the 251 people seized on October 7, of whom 44 were dead when taken, were exchanged in phased agreements for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. Israeli forces recovered the remains of the final hostage in January 2026. However, conditions in Gaza remain severe despite a United States-brokered ceasefire that took effect on October 10, 2025. Health authorities in Gaza report that Israeli military operations have killed more than 74,000 people since October 2023, a count the United Nations views as credible and where foreign non-governmental organizations assess civilians make up over 80% of fatalities. On Wednesday morning, Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City confirmed two deaths from an Israeli strike, with the Gaza Civil Defence identifying one victim as an emergency rescue volunteer.

Political friction and the coming election

The commemoration takes place 20 days before Israel holds its first parliamentary election since the 2023 assault. The upcoming ballot serves as a critical test for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his security record. Netanyahu has resisted establishing an independent state commission of inquiry and has not accepted personal responsibility for the intelligence and military failures surrounding the attack. Public focus remains fixed on the events, with a survey by the Israel Democracy Institute showing that 68% of Israeli Jews consider October 7 a very or fairly important factor in their voting decision.

Security posture and international visits

Security forces operated under heightened alert across the country following intelligence warnings issued on Tuesday by Defense Minister Israel Katz. The heightened posture followed an attempted attack against a Tel Aviv-bound aircraft one week earlier. International representatives also took part in the events, with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot travelling to Israel to attend commemorations for the 51 French nationals killed during the attack. In Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron pledged ongoing efforts against antisemitism and terrorism while expressing solidarity with Israel.

I am in Israel today to pay tribute to the victims of the events of October 7. On that day, Hamas committed the worst antisemitic massacre since the Holocaust, and 51 French citizens lost their lives.