Israel marks October 7 anniversary amid inquiry demands

Israel marked the third anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks on Wednesday with memorials and vigils, while families and protesters renewed demands for an independent inquiry into the security and political failures preceding the assault. The anniversary included a moment of silence on the Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv, where demonstrators briefly stopped traffic. Memorial gatherings were also held at junctions and communities across the country, including at the site of the Nova music festival and southern communities attacked in 2023. In Tel Aviv’s Dizengoff Square, a fountain was dyed red as part of a memorial installation, according to reports from the day. The attacks killed about 1,200 people in Israel and 251 people were taken hostage, according to figures reported for the anniversary. The assault, launched by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups, began on October 7, 2023. Memorial events and public mourning were accompanied by demonstrations criticizing the government’s handling of the security failures and its response to the attack. Families of people killed or abducted, along with protesters, called for a state commission of inquiry.