Israel Marks Three Years Since October 7th Massacre, Reports 1,318 Fallen Soldiers

As Israel marks three years since the October 7th massacre and the outbreak of the current war, the Ministry of Defense's Families, Commemoration, and Heritage Division released updated figures on fallen soldiers and bereaved families. Since the start of hostilities, 1,318 members of Israel's security forces have been killed. This total includes 1,153 Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers, among them 43 members of emergency response teams, 116 Israel Police officers, 11 Israel Prison Service officers, nine Shin Bet agents, and five firefighters. Additionally, 24 disabled veterans have died from injuries sustained during the war.

The bereaved circle has expanded by over 7,150 individuals since the war began, comprising 2,143 bereaved parents, 3,772 siblings, 880 orphans, and 355 widows. Over the past three years, the Soldier Commemoration Unit has managed funerals in 282 cemeteries and military plots across the country, and has also arranged burials for fallen soldiers abroad. In the aftermath of the October 7th events, 15 family members were buried alongside their relatives. Furthermore, 21 soldiers initially buried in temporary graves at the start of the war were reinterred in their hometowns once the security situation stabilized, with 18 of these moved to their communities in the Gaza border region.

In parallel, more than 30 military plots have been expanded, three new cemeteries were constructed for the Druze community in Birka, Sajur, and Jat, and the cemetery in Marar was enlarged. The Ministry of Defense stated that alongside ongoing support, it has broadened financial and emotional assistance, including recognition for fiancées and expanded services for orphans and siblings. The Unit for Compensation has advanced a NIS 60 million nursing reform and NIS 50 million in assistance for exceptional committee cases, while the Social Services Unit operates hundreds of support groups with approximately 500 volunteers.

Aryeh Moalem, Deputy Director General and Head of the Families, Commemoration, and Heritage Division, stated, "The State of Israel owes a moral debt to those who gave their lives for it, and this debt becomes a deep and ongoing commitment to the bereaved families who carry the longing and the absence every day. Three years since the outbreak of the war, we bow our heads to the fallen, carry their life stories, and commit that their families will never walk alone."