Key facts
- Israel marked the third anniversary of the October 7 Hamas-led attacks on Wednesday.
- Approximately 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage in the October 7 attacks.
- The Hamas-led attacks were the deadliest on Jewish people since the Holocaust.
- Israel's military offensive in Gaza has killed at least 74,200 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health.
- An estimated 80% of structures in Gaza have been destroyed or damaged.
- Over 1.9 million people, about 90% of Gaza's population, have been displaced.
Israel marked the third anniversary of the October 7 Hamas-led attacks on Wednesday with silent tributes, new strikes on Gaza, and intense political debate. The attacks, which occurred on October 7, 2023, resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 people taken hostage, making it the deadliest attack on Jewish people since the Holocaust.
Memorial events were held across Israel, including at the site of the Nova music festival where at least 360 people were killed and 44 abducted. In Tel Aviv, drivers stopped their cars to observe a minute's silence. Grassroots efforts organized by survivors and victims' families are prominent, with a recurring demand for leadership change.
In response to the October 7 attacks, Israel launched a significant military offensive in Gaza. According to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health, at least 74,200 Palestinians have been killed. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that humanitarian needs in Gaza remain overwhelming, with an estimated 80% of all structures destroyed or damaged and over 1.9 million people displaced. The world's leading association of genocide scholars declared that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza last year, a claim Israel denies, stating its actions are justified as self-defense.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel has killed "4,000 out of 6,000" militants who infiltrated on October 7, and vowed to "reach all of them," amid ongoing strikes in Gaza. A ceasefire that came into effect last October has not stopped Israeli airstrikes and attacks on populated areas.