TEL AVIV, Israel — Israelis across the country on Tuesday marked the grim second anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas assault, a shock attack that claimed the lives of approximately 1,200 people and saw 251 hostages taken into Gaza.
While the state’s formal commemoration is slated for October 16 after the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, unofficial memorials and public rallies have become focal points of collective mourning and renewed demands for action on hostages still in captivity.
In southern kibbutzim devastated during the assault, families lit candles and visited charred homes, many still standing as haunting reminders of that day.
In Hostages’ Square in Tel Aviv, a large rally convened, with participants denouncing government inaction and demanding the immediate return of captives.
“The faces of those still held remain plastered in the streets. We cannot let them vanish into silence,” said one protester holding a banner with portraits of missing hostages.
Over the past two years, various hostages have been released, but 48 remain according to Israeli officials.
For many bereaved families, the memorial has become a platform to shift from sorrow to accountability. They fault Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government for failing to negotiate a lasting deal or secure a ceasefire powerful enough to bring all hostages home.
U.S. President Donald Trump, whose mediation efforts helped catalyze the latest indirect talks in Egypt, has warned Hamas of “total obliteration” if they do not comply with release terms—though those negotiations remain tenuous.
As Israelis reflect, the war in Gaza rages on. Palestinian health authorities report more than 67,000 Palestinians killed during the conflict period, with widespread destruction and a deepening humanitarian crisis.
Israeli leaders reject accusations of genocide, insisting their actions are justified self-defence.
In the midst of the anniversary, rocket fire from Gaza resumed. Israel’s military responded with airstrikes, elevating tension as many fear renewed escalation.
Inside Israel, divisions are more acute than ever. Public confidence in the government is strained. Large-scale protests over Netanyahu’s handling of the crisis have grown in frequency, fueled by frustration over the slow pace of negotiations and the ongoing toll in lives.
The Nova music festival site, scene of one of the deadliest episodes of the attack, remains an impromptu shrine. Survivors and families gathered Sunday night in memory of those killed, many of them in their teens or early 20s.
For many Israelis, the anniversary is not just remembrance; it’s an urgent call to end a war that has defined two years of national trauma.
With talks in Egypt continuing, the public is watching closely. Will a ceasefire deal be struck? Can the remaining hostages be freed? Will Gaza’s humanitarian crisis be addressed?
On October 16, the formal memorial at Mount Herzl cemetery is expected to bring even greater attention, but in the meantime, those gathering now carry grief, anger, and hard questions.
