Thousands Attend Memorial for October 7 Massacre, Demand Truth

Approximately 2,500 people gathered Sunday evening at the "Swords of Iron Forest" in the western Negev for a memorial ceremony commemorating the October 7th massacre. Attendees included residents from Gaza border communities, southern Israeli towns, bereaved families, and survivors of captivity, alongside representatives from security forces. The ceremony, held at a memorial forest established by KKL-JNF (Jewish National Fund), featured families planting trees in memory of their loved ones, each with a plaque allowing visitors to listen to a chosen song. The event was organized by KKL-JNF, the Kibbutz Movement, the Moshav Movement, and the Eshkol and Sha'ar HaNegev regional councils, with plans to make it an annual event.

Speakers at the event called for a state commission of inquiry into the events of October 7th. Lior Simcha, Secretary General of the Kibbutz Movement, stated, "We owe it to our sons, our fallen, and our wounded. We will remember. We will fix. We will rebuild Israel." Uri Epstein, Head of the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council, whose son and other family members were killed on October 7th, emphasized the need for truth, stating, "Without truth, there is no responsibility, without responsibility, there is no trust, and without trust, we cannot build our home."

Michal Uziyahu, Head of the Eshkol Regional Council, highlighted the region's recovery, noting that 752 babies have been born in Eshkol since October 7th. She stated, "The communities are returning, families and young people are joining, and the farmers continue to work the land." Amit Yifrah, Secretary General of the Moshav Movement and Chairman of the Farmers' Union of Israel, spoke of transforming the site of loss into a place of continued life and growth.

Eyal Ostrovsky, Chairman of KKL-JNF, affirmed the organization's commitment to the region's rehabilitation, rebuilding, and strengthening of settlement, stating that October 7th is a "foundational day" rather than just a day of remembrance. A special "Yizkor" (remembrance) prayer for the October 7th massacre, written by the Shitim Institute, was recited. The ceremony also included musical performances by David D'Or, Yuval Dayan, Keren Peles, and Shai Hamber.