Israel Holds State Memorial Ceremony for October 7 Victims

Israel is holding its state memorial ceremony for the victims of the October 7th massacre and war at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem. The ceremony is attended by President Yitzhak Herzog and his wife Michal, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, and senior security officials. This event is part of the National Memorial Day, marking three years since the October 7th massacre and the ensuing war.

Earlier in the day, at 6:29 AM, the exact time of the Hamas attack three years ago, the Israeli flag was lowered to half-mast at the Knesset and the President's Residence. President Herzog stated that this act symbolizes "the shared national grief of the State of Israel and its citizens." He dedicated the moment to the memory of civilians and soldiers murdered and fallen in the terror attack and war, as well as to all those injured physically and mentally who continue to bear the wounds of October 7th.

A separate memorial ceremony for the fallen soldiers and all those who have fallen since October 7, 2023, took place earlier at the "Plot of the Nation's Leaders" on Mount Herzl, with the participation of state and security leaders.

Notably, the state memorial events are being held on October 5th this year, two days before the actual anniversary of the massacre. This timing aligns with the established date for the National Memorial Day, which follows the Simchat Torah holiday.