Israelis mark October 7 anniversary as Palestinians endure devastated Gaza

Israelis mourn on anniversary of October 7 attack as Palestinians live in devastated Gaza

Israelis gathered at intersections, bomb shelters, and the site of a music festival on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, to commemorate the third anniversary of the cross-border attack. Families hugged at 6:29 a.m., the exact time the first rockets were launched three years ago, as booms from explosions in nearby Gaza were heard. Across the border, the day unfolded under entirely different conditions for Palestinians living in a devastated Gaza.

The anniversary arrives during a deeply contested political moment in Israel, with a contentious election at the end of the month hanging over the anniversary. The government's official memorial services took place on Oct. 5, closer to the Hebrew calendar's anniversary of the attack. The separate commemorations reflected deep divisions over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his handling of the war, and his reluctance to launch an official inquiry into failings of the day. Former prime minister Naftali Bennett and Gadi Eisenkot, the head of the opposition Yashar! party, met with families and looked at photos of the dead in southern Israel.

Marking the First Anniversary With All Hostages Home

It is the first anniversary that all the hostages are home, marking a new stage of grief. Families gathered around photos of their killed relatives near Reim, where hundreds of people came to pay their respects to the more than 350 people killed in and around the festival site.

Elkana Bohbot, 37, is marking the anniversary in Israel for the first time, after being released from 738 days of captivity last year. For most of that time, he said, he was held 50 meters underground in a dark, damp tunnel. Abducted from the festival, Mr. Bohbot was kept in a small cell with other hostages, given very little food, and allowed to bathe only every few weeks. His captors forced him to take part in several propaganda videos, including one where he acts out a fake call to his family.

In the 11 months since his release, Mr. Bohbot has undergone physical and emotional rehabilitation. In August, his wife, Rivka, gave birth to a daughter, Michele, fulfilling a promise that Mr. Bohbot made to himself in the tunnels to give his 5-year-old son, Reem, a sibling. The newborn Michele was "not a symbol for my people; she is more of a symbol for the enemy," Bohbot told The Associated Press. "So this child is the message for you that we were here, and we will always be here forever."

Detail	Information
Date of Initial Attack	October 7, 2023
Date of Current Anniversary	Wednesday, October 7, 2026
Initial Israeli Casualties	1,200 people killed
Initial Hostage Count	251 people taken
Elkana Bohbot Captivity Duration	738 days
Palestinian Casualties in Gaza	More than 74,000 people killed
Palestinian Displacement Rate	About 90 percent of the population
Post-Ceasefire Palestinian Deaths	1,460 people killed
Post-Ceasefire Israeli Soldier Deaths	7 soldiers killed

The Humanitarian Toll and Continued Strikes Across Gaza

No events are expected on Wednesday in Gaza, where Israel's offensive has devastated the territory and displaced about 90 per cent of its population, often multiple times. Most of the population of about 2 million people lives in vast, squalid tent camps, with large parts of the strip reduced to rubble. More than half the territory remains in the hands of the Israeli military.

More than 74,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to the territory's Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and militants in its figures but says about half were women and children. The numbers from the ministry, part of the Hamas-run government, are seen as generally reliable by UN agencies and independent experts. While a ceasefire that took effect on October 10, 2025, has halted the heaviest fighting, Israeli strikes have continued, targeting what Israel says are Hamas militants. Since the ceasefire, 1,460 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to the ministry, alongside seven Israeli soldiers. Restrictions on the entry of goods and aid have contributed to an ongoing hunger crisis.

Regional Conflict Expansion and Unresolved Strategic Questions

The attack set in motion a cascade of events that led to wars across the Middle East as Israel confronted Hamas, Hezbollah and their backer Iran. Israeli troops occupy a large chunk of southern Lebanon in their conflict with the Hezbollah militant group, which began firing on Israel in 2023 in support of Hamas, and more than 300,000 Lebanese remain displaced. The United States joined Israel in attacking Iran's military and nuclear program in two rounds, battering Iran and upending global markets far from the battlefield.

Violence has also risen across the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where Israel's far-right government has emboldened extremist settlers who have attacked Palestinians and destroyed their property. Hamas portrayed the October 7 attack as a response to decades of Israeli military occupation, land seizures and settlement construction. But the Palestinians' dream of an independent state appears even more distant.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many people were killed and taken hostage in the initial October 7, 2023 attack?

The attack killed 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage.

What is the total Palestinian death toll reported in Gaza?

More than 74,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to the territory's Health Ministry.

Has a ceasefire been reached in the Gaza war?

A ceasefire took effect on October 10, 2025, halting the heaviest fighting, though Israeli strikes have continued.

For the region, the day highlights a startling transformation over the past three years as Israelis mourn and Palestinians live in a devastated Gaza.