Israel Marks Three Years Since October 7th Massacre

This week, Israel is commemorating three years since the October 7th massacre, a period of remembrance, longing, and a promise to never forget. Across the country, memorial ceremonies are being held as bereaved families return to cemeteries and memorial sites to honor their loved ones who were murdered on that "black Shabbat." Three years have passed since the holiday of Sukkot, the day the longest war in the country's history began, with over 1,300 fatalities in its initial days. The article highlights the stories of fallen soldiers, including Sergeant Major Avitar Ohayon Abuksis, an ambulance driver for the Golani Brigade's 51st Battalion, who was on his last day of service and stayed to close Shabbat at his base, where he fell in a battle for the Kissufim outpost. Private First Class Dvir Lisha, also a Golani soldier, fell while fighting terrorists at the Zikim beach after finishing a night shift at the Erez outpost. Sergeant Natanel Young, a lone soldier from Britain, managed to delay terrorists attempting to infiltrate the Yiftah base in Zikim before he was killed. His parents only came to Israel after his death. Hundreds of families of the fallen gathered at the "Swords of Iron" memorial forest near Kibbutz Be'eri and the Nova site, where bereaved families planted trees, each choosing a song to represent their loved ones. The week serves as a somber reminder of the heavy price of war and the enduring grief for those lost.