Israel holds national remembrance day for October 7 victims and fallen soldiers

Right · 2Israel marked its national remembrance day for the October 7 attack and the war that followed on Monday 5 October 2026, three years after the 2023 assault. 1 2 Right · 1President Isaac Herzog opened the day by lowering the flag to half-mast at 6:29 a.m., the minute the attack began, at the President's Residence in Jerusalem; he called it "a sign of remembrance and honor for the murdered and the fallen". 1 Right · 2The day is set by law for the Hebrew date of Tishrei 24, two days after Simchat Torah, so it fell two days before the 7 October anniversary on the Gregorian calendar. 1 2

Right · 1The Jerusalem Post reported that flags would be lowered at state institutions, police stations, prisons and IDF bases, that broadcasts would be adjusted, and that it would remain a regular workday with no nationwide siren expected. 2 Right · 2Two state ceremonies were scheduled at Mount Herzl, with Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz expected to speak at the first. The two outlets describe them differently: JNS says the 11:00 a.m. ceremony honoured fallen security personnel and the 2:00 p.m. one the October 7 victims, while the Jerusalem Post says the 11:00 a.m. ceremony covered both those killed on October 7 and soldiers killed in the war, and the 2:00 p.m. one victims of terror. 1 2 Right · 1The Jerusalem Post said IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Police Commissioner Daniel Levy, Shin Bet chief David Zini and Mossad chief Roman Gofman were also due to attend the 11:00 a.m. ceremony, which was expected to end at 12:15 p.m. 2

Right · 1The IDF General Staff Forum held a ceremony and a minute of silence at 6:29 a.m. at the Zikim base near the Gaza border. In a military order, Zamir said "an entire nation bows its head and mourns" and that "the IDF failed in its most important mission to protect the civilians of the State of Israel"; he also said the army must investigate and implement lessons, and that it had since rescued hostages and struck enemy capabilities. 1 Right · 1Dozens of ceremonies, rallies and testimony sessions were planned nationwide, including at schools, the Technion, Tel Aviv University and municipalities such as Nahariya, Ashkelon, Netanya, Herzliya, Rehovot and Modi'in, many featuring bereaved families or former hostages. 2 Right · 1Herzog was also to host "Salon Otef" at the President's Residence on the story of Omri and Lishay Miran; Omri Miran was freed in October 2025 after more than two years in Hamas captivity. 1

Right · 1The Defense Ministry said 1,318 security personnel have been added to the roll of the slain since 7 October 2023, and more than 7,150 people have joined the bereaved-family community, including 2,143 parents, 355 widows, 880 orphans and 3,772 siblings. 1 Right · 1The National Insurance Institute said 1,029 civilians have been killed in terrorist attacks since 7 October 2023, 778 of them on the day itself, and that it is treating 87,286 additional victims of hostile acts. JNS put the 2023 attack at some 1,200 killed and 251 kidnapped. 1 Right · 1Further events follow: the government was expected to hold a special meeting on Tuesday 6 October, and on 7 October the October Council plans a minute of silence at 6:29 a.m., Nova festival families a ceremony at the Re'im site at 6:29 p.m., and October 7 families a national ceremony at Ganei Yehoshua Park at 9:15 p.m. 2