Israel observed a national day of remembrance on Thursday, honoring the victims of the Hamas-led attack that occurred two years ago on October 7th, and all those who perished in the subsequent conflict. This solemn day unfolded almost a week after a cease-fire in Gaza took effect.
A poignant visual captures Israelis gathering at the national cemetery, Mount Herzl, in Jerusalem, for a day of commemoration to honor those lost during the Hamas-led attack on October 7th, two years ago. (Credit: By Amit Elkayam For The New York Times)
Two main state ceremonies were conducted at Mount Herzl, Jerusalem’s national cemetery, reflecting the Jewish calendar’s marking of two years since the 2023 assault. One ceremony paid tribute to fallen soldiers and security personnel, while another honored civilians.
“Even if this isn’t the final chapter,” remarked Israeli President Isaac Herzog at the soldiers’ ceremony, referring to the ongoing conflict, “we hold onto the hope that we are nearing its conclusion, our voices thick with tears and grief, yet touched by moments of relief.”
Since the cease-fire, Hamas has released the remaining 20 living hostages held in Gaza. In return, Israel has freed nearly 2,000 Palestinians from imprisonment, including 250 individuals convicted of terrorism offenses or acts of violence against Israelis, and approximately 1,700 others who were detained in Gaza during the war and held without formal charges.
This video shows moments from a state ceremony held to mark two years since the October 7th attack, observing the Jewish calendar.
On Thursday, Israeli authorities confirmed the identification of two additional bodies returned by Hamas a day prior. These individuals were reportedly killed in the October 2023 attack and subsequently taken into Gaza. The recent truce agreement stipulated the immediate return of all remaining bodies from Gaza, though both factions acknowledged that locating some remains might be challenging and time-consuming due to the widespread destruction across the enclave.
Meanwhile, Israel has repatriated at least 90 bodies of Palestinians to Gaza, as confirmed by statements from the International Red Cross. The Israeli military has also repositioned some of its forces to a pre-agreed line within Gaza, allowing some Gazans to begin returning to their communities, or to the sites where their homes once stood.
During the state ceremony in Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu affirmed that Israel would achieve all its war objectives. He has previously stated that these goals include disarming Hamas, a condition the group has rejected and which remains a significant hurdle in negotiations to fully end the war.
Netanyahu further declared that Israel had dealt “hammer blows” to its adversaries, vowing that “anyone who raises their hand against us will suffer a severe consequence for their aggression.”
The October 7th attack tragically claimed the lives of approximately 1,200 people, including Israeli civilians and security personnel, with about 250 taken hostage. In the ensuing conflict in Gaza, at least 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. Since the war began, over 460 Israelis have also lost their lives.
Several southern Israeli communities, deeply scarred by the 2023 Hamas-led attack, also held their own local remembrance events.
Yael Felus, 52, a resident of Kfar Aza—one of the communities overrun by gunmen that October 7th—shared that her kibbutz members had gathered on Wednesday evening for an event focused on processing the day’s tragic occurrences. She recounted spending 22 hours in hiding during the assault.
On Thursday morning, the community reconvened at the kibbutz cemetery to remember the more than 60 individuals who were killed in Kfar Aza on that day.
Ms. Felus, like many other residents of the kibbutz who have been displaced for much of the past two years while their village undergoes reconstruction, expressed her longing: “I only feel safe at home, and I hope to return there soon.”