Tributes were held at several locations across the country, including the Nova festival site. Families and others in attendance remembered those killed during the attack and at the other sites affected by the events of October 7.
The day once again brought to the forefront of Israel’s collective memory what France 24 and the South China Morning Post describe as the deadliest day in the country’s history. Clarín, meanwhile, calls it the deadliest episode for Israel since the Holocaust.
According to Clarín, the 2023 attack resulted in more than 1,200 deaths and the taking of 250 people. These figures were reported by the Argentine outlet and do not appear to have been repeated in the other materials reviewed.
For The Hindu, this was the first annual commemoration without any Israeli hostages still being held in Gaza. The outlet also reports that the remains of the last Israeli hostage were recovered in January, without specifying the year of the recovery in its summary.
The anniversary came a few weeks before elections in Israel. France 24 and the South China Morning Post report that October 7 remains a central issue in the electoral contest and political debate in the country.
The commemoration also took place as the consequences of the war in Gaza, triggered by the October 7, 2023, attack, continued. The conflict and its effects therefore remain intertwined with the memory of the victims and Israel’s political debate.
The available sources confirm the presence of memorials in multiple locations and ceremonies at the Nova festival site, but they do not fully document the program, the number of participants or the organizers of each event.