Israel Marks 3 Years Since October 7 - Eli Sharabi: “We Will Never Forget, We Will Never Forgive

 Israel on Wednesday marked three years since the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attack with ceremonies, memorial events and moments of silence across the country, as bereaved families returned to the communities and sites where hundreds of people were killed or abducted.

The anniversary was marked by two parallel tracks of remembrance: state ceremonies held earlier in the week according to the Hebrew calendar, and a major family-led national ceremony on October 7 itself.

The division reflects both the scale of the national trauma and continuing disagreements between bereaved families and the government over accountability for the failures surrounding October 7.

Families Hold National Memorial Ceremony in Tel Aviv

The central family-led ceremony was held Wednesday evening at Yarkon Park in Tel Aviv, beginning at 9:15 p.m.

Organized by Kumu (“Rise Up”), an organization founded by survivors and bereaved families, the event was attended by approximately 50,000 people, according to organizers and Israeli media reports.

Among the hosts was Eli Sharabi, a survivor of Hamas captivity whose wife and two daughters were murdered at Kibbutz Be'eri on October 7, while his brother Yossi was abducted and later killed in captivity.

The ceremony featured testimonies, memorial segments and performances, with families emphasizing remembrance while also calling for the events of October 7 to be fully investigated.

Sharabi and other participants repeatedly stressed that remembering the victims must be accompanied by a commitment to establish the truth about what happened before, during and after the attack.

A Day That Began at 6:29 a.m.

The national day of remembrance began at 6:29 a.m., the time Hamas-led forces launched their assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.

At that exact moment, President Isaac Herzog and First Lady Michal Herzog lit a memorial candle at the President's Residence in Jerusalem. The ceremony was dedicated to those killed and wounded in the attack and the war that followed, as well as to the bereaved families and survivors.

Memorial events were also held at the sites of the massacre.

At the Nova music festival site near Re'im, survivors and bereaved families gathered at 6:29 p.m. for a ceremony marking the moment the attack reached the festival area. More than 350 people were killed at Nova, according to Israeli authorities and media reports.

At Kfar Aza, residents and families held a vigil and read the names of those killed. At the Nahal Oz military outpost, families of the 16 female surveillance soldiers killed during the assault gathered to commemorate the soldiers and demand recognition of their bravery.

State Memorial Ceremonies Held at Mount Herzl

The Israeli government held its official memorial ceremonies on October 5, three days before the civil-calendar anniversary, because the state memorial day is observed according to the Hebrew calendar.

Two major ceremonies were held at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.

The first, at 11 a.m., honored IDF soldiers and security personnel who fell in the war that followed October 7. The ceremony was attended by Netanyahu, Herzog and senior political and security officials.

A second state ceremony commemorating those murdered in the October 7 attack and honoring acts of heroism was held later that day at the memorial to victims of hostile actions on Mount Herzl.

Herzog: “Three Years Since the Day of Our Catastrophe”

President Herzog used the state memorial ceremony to address the bereaved families directly.

“Three years since the day of our catastrophe, October 7th, we bow our heads in memory of those who were murdered and those who fell in battle,” Herzog said. He described the communities, roads and shelters of southern Israel as part of a national map of mourning, while also emphasizing the extraordinary acts of civilians who drove toward the danger to save others.

In his remarks at the military memorial ceremony, Herzog also spoke of families coping with loss, displacement and continuing uncertainty, as well as the growing demand for answers about the events that preceded the attack.

Netanyahu: “We Will Continue to Strike Our Enemies”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also addressed the ceremonies at Mount Herzl.

At the civilian memorial, Netanyahu said the country would continue to strengthen itself and “strike our enemies” in memory of those killed.

“We will cherish the memory of every one of the fallen,” Netanyahu said. “In their name and for their sake, we will continue to strike our enemies, ceaselessly strengthen our state, and build our homeland from generation to generation.”

At the military memorial, Netanyahu paid tribute to soldiers and security personnel killed since October 7 and spoke of their sacrifice and heroism.

Families Continue to Demand Answers

The anniversary has also become a moment of renewed debate over responsibility for the failures that preceded the attack.

Bereaved families and survivors have continued to demand an independent investigation into what they describe as failures by the political and security leadership.

Some families have accused the government of attempting to move the country toward remembrance without first establishing a full account of what went wrong.

At the family ceremony in Tel Aviv, former hostages and bereaved relatives repeatedly called for the truth to be documented and for the lessons of October 7 to be formally investigated.

First Anniversary Without Hostages in Gaza

This year's anniversary also carried a major difference from previous commemorations.

It was the first October 7 anniversary since all hostages taken during the attack were returned, either alive or after their deaths were confirmed, according to international and Israeli reports. The development has changed the emotional landscape of the anniversary, while leaving many families coping with bereavement, trauma and the long-term consequences of captivity.

Three Years Later, the Trauma Remains

Three years after the attack, Israel remains deeply marked by the events of October 7.

The assault killed about 1,200 people and resulted in the abduction of 251 hostages, according to Israeli and international counts. It triggered a prolonged war in Gaza and a wider regional confrontation involving Lebanon, Iran and other fronts.

For the families of those killed, however, the anniversary is ultimately less about statistics than about individual lives.

At Yarkon Park, in the communities near Gaza, at Mount Herzl and at the sites where the attack unfolded, the same message echoed throughout the day:

The victims must be remembered, the heroism must be preserved — and the full truth about what happened on October 7 must eventually be established.