Israel is observing today, Monday, the national memorial day for the victims of the October 7, 2023 massacre and the fallen soldiers of the subsequent war. Three years after the most severe terrorist attack in the history of the state, memorial events are taking place in Jerusalem and across the country. The focus is on the murdered victims, the fallen members of the security forces, and the families whose lives changed forever on that Sabbath.
At 6:29 a.m. — the exact time the Hamas attack began on October 7, 2023 — the Israeli flag was lowered to half-mast at the official residence of President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem. Herzog stated that this was done as a symbol of remembrance and respect for the murdered victims and fallen soldiers of the October 7 terrorist attack and the “Iron Swords” war. He also remembered all those who were physically and psychologically wounded and who continue to carry the scars of October 7 and the war to this day.
At 6:29 a.m. the Palestinian Hamas massacre began on October 7, 2023. Today at 6:29 a.m. the Israeli flag at the President’s Residence was lowered to half-mast in commemoration
We remember the women, men, children, infants and elderly massacred by Hamas terrorists. We remember the sexual violence. We remember the kidnappings. And we remember the soldiers who fell defending Israel in the war that followed.
We honor those still carrying the physical and psychological wounds of that day.
We remember every victim. Every hero.
We will never forget what Palestinian Hamas did.
📸 President’s Residence Spokesperson’s Office https://t.co/LTPrGbJeIc
— Israel ישראל (@Israel) October 5, 2026
The central state ceremonies are taking place on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem. At 11 a.m., a memorial service organized by the Ministry of Defense begins there for the members of the security forces who have fallen since October 7. Attendees include President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, and other senior representatives of the security establishment.
A second state ceremony is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the Monument to the Victims of Hostile Acts on Mount Herzl. It is directed particularly at the families of the civilians killed in the October 7 massacre and in further terrorist attacks since the start of the war. Attendance at both events is possible only by prior registration for security reasons.
According to the latest figures from the Ministry of Defense, a total of 1,318 members of the Israeli security forces have fallen since the morning of October 7, 2023. These include not only soldiers of the Israeli army but also members of the police, the domestic intelligence service Shin Bet, the prison service, and the fire brigade, as well as members of local security forces and standby units. More than 7,150 people have been newly added to the circle of immediate bereaved since the start of the war, including 2,143 parents, 355 widows, 880 orphans, and 3,772 siblings.
שלוש שנים ל”מלחמת התקומה” – משרד הביטחון מפרסם את מניין הנופלים במלחמה: 1,318 חללי מערכות ישראל נפלו מאז 7.10.2023.
מעל 7,150 בני משפחה נוספו למשפחת השכול, בהם 2,143 הורים שכולים, 355 אלמנות, 880 יתומים ו-3,772 אחים ואחיות שכולים.
להמשך: https://t.co/2eBD5Ib62x https://t.co/BmPYp2Vi7n
— משרד הביטחון (@MoDIsrael) October 4, 2026
Early on Monday morning, Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir published a daily order marking the third anniversary of the massacre. In it, he spoke with unusual candor about the army’s failure on October 7.
“The IDF failed in its most important mission — to protect the citizens of the State of Israel,” Zamir stated. On that morning, Israel’s borders had been breached while the kibbutzim and towns of the western Negev saw places of life turned into scenes of massacres and abductions.
Zamir remembered those who were murdered in their homes, the young attendees of the Nova music festival, the hostages who were killed in captivity, as well as soldiers, police officers, members of local standby units, and rescue personnel who lost their lives in the fighting.
יום הזיכרון הלאומי לאירועי ה-7 באוקטובר: פורום המטה הכללי קיים מעמד זיכרון ודקת דומייה ב-06:29 בבסיס זיקים https://t.co/bNnoOBv6S2
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) October 5, 2026
At the same time, the Chief of Staff emphasized the army’s responsibility to draw consequences from its failures. It is the IDF’s duty to thoroughly investigate the events and ensure that the lessons learned are actually implemented. Israel will no longer allow its enemies to build up their military capabilities unchecked. Threats must be identified as they emerge and combated decisively.
October 7, 2023 began with a massive rocket attack by Hamas and other terrorist organizations from the Gaza Strip. Thousands of terrorists then breached the Israeli border, storming communities, military bases, and the site of the Nova music festival, and murdering approximately 1,200 people. 251 people were abducted as hostages into the Gaza Strip.
The consequences of that day extend far beyond the immediate victims of the massacre. According to the Israeli National Insurance Institute, by this year’s general memorial day in April, 1,017 Israeli civilians had been killed since the start of the war through terrorism and hostile attacks. This figure includes both the victims of October 7 and people who were subsequently killed in terrorist attacks and hostile strikes.
This year’s memorial day also carries particular significance. Over the summer, the Knesset passed a law for the permanent commemoration of the massacre and the acts of heroism that day. It provides for a national memorial day, state ceremonies, special events in the education system, and in the long term, a national memorial site and museum in the western Negev. The law is intended to preserve the memory of the victims while also documenting the stories of those who risked their lives to save others on October 7.
While the state holds its official ceremonies today, October 5, further major memorial events will take place on Wednesday, October 7. Relatives of victims, survivors, and former hostages are organizing, among other things, a central event; the site of the Nova Festival near Re’im will also hold commemorations for those murdered. As a result, this year’s remembrance is spread across several days.
Three years after the massacre, alongside grief and remembrance, the question remains as to how the collapse of Israel’s security mechanisms could have occurred. Zamir’s statement makes clear that the army acknowledges its own responsibility. “We will carry with us the memory of the fallen and the lessons of October 7,” the Chief of Staff declared. The goal, he said, is a future in which the citizens of Israel can once again live safely in their country.
Want more news from Israel?
Click Here to sign up for our FREE daily email updates
