Israel marks 7 October anniversary with nationwide moment of silence

Israelis observed a nationwide moment of silence on Wednesday to mark three years since the Hamas-led attack of 7 October 2023. Families gathered at the Nova music festival site, road junctions and bomb shelters in southern Israel to remember those killed in the assault. The commemorations came as the country entered a new phase of mourning, with all hostages who survived now back home.

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The attack, which a UN inquiry confirmed killed 1,200 people and saw 252 taken hostage, remains the deadliest in Israel's history. Among those marking the day was Elkana Bohbot, 37, who was abducted from the Nova festival and is spending the anniversary in Israel for the first time. He was freed last year after 738 days in captivity, much of it in a tunnel about 50 metres underground.

He said the birth of his daughter in August was a message to his captors that Israelis "were here, and we will always be here forever". At the Nova site, where militants in trucks and paragliders opened fire around dawn on 7 October, family members bowed their heads in silence. One attendee reportedly played techno music in tribute to the dead, reflecting the festival's identity before the attack.

The day of remembrance was separate from the government's official memorial services, which were held on 5 October to fall closer to the anniversary in the Hebrew calendar. The anniversary comes against the backdrop of a fragile ceasefire and continuing debate over the war's consequences. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said the "unspeakable savagery and terror" of 7 October must never happen again, and said the European Union remained ready to help turn the ceasefire into a durable peace based on a two-state solution.

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Her comments underline the wider diplomatic significance of the anniversary, which is being watched closely by regional and international actors. The war that followed the attack has reshaped the region and left Gaza heavily damaged. According to the UN, up to 75,000 Palestinians have been killed in the retaliatory campaign, while about 1.7 million people, roughly 80% of Gaza's population, were living in tents and temporary accommodation this summer.

Israeli maps show more than half of the Gaza Strip is now controlled by Israeli troops, highlighting the scale of the military and humanitarian impact. What remains unclear is how the ceasefire will hold and whether the anniversary will lead to any new diplomatic movement. On Wednesday, reporters in Israel heard loud bangs from across the border in Gaza as new strikes were carried out despite the agreement, and Gaza officials said at least two people were killed overnight.

The coming days will show whether the commemorations remain a moment of remembrance or become part of a wider test of the truce.

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