Israel’s government has approved the establishment of a national remembrance day for the October 7 attack by Hamas that sparked the Gaza war, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced.
According to an AFP report, the commemoration, which received unanimous government support, will feature two state ceremonies to remember the “disaster”.
One ceremony will honor the soldiers who lost their lives during the conflict, while the other will pay tribute to the “civilians who were murdered in acts of terrorism.”
The unprecedented Hamas assault on southern Israel on October 7 led to the deaths of approximately 1,160 individuals, primarily civilians, according to Israeli data compiled by AFP.
In response, Israel’s military operations against Hamas has resulted in the deaths of around 31,645 people in Gaza, with a majority being women and children, as reported by the health ministry in the Hamas-controlled region.
Following the October 7 attack, Palestinian militants took around 250 hostages, including Israelis and foreigners. While some were released during a week-long ceasefire in November, Israel estimates that about 130 hostages, including 32 presumed deceased, remain in Gaza.