Oct. 7 families mark 1,000 days and demand a state inquiry

The October Council held a press conference on Thursday ahead of next Thursday, when Israel will mark 1,000 days since the Oct. 7 massacre under the banner, “1,000 days of seven.” Bereaved families, hostage families, survivors and family representatives called on the public to pause, remember, and demand a state commission of inquiry into what they called the country’s worst disaster.

The Families and Captives Survivors organization, which is campaigning for such a commission, said next Thursday will feature dozens of memorial, protest and testimony events across Israel. It also announced a nationwide minute of silence at 10:00 a.m., a “1000-day march,” and a central rally at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, which will reopen for one day to mark the 1,000th day.

Reut Recht Aderi, mother of Israel Police officer Idan Aderi, who was murdered at the Nova music festival, accused the new Shin Bet chief of trying to erase the memory of the failures that led to her son’s death. She said, “You are using politics and the blood of my child and ten heroic Shin Bet fighters who fell on Oct. 7 to serve the agenda of abandonment and oblivion of the prime minister. You will not erase the blood of our children.”

Eyal Eshel, father of surveillance soldier Roni Eshel, said the soldiers “saw, warned and begged to be heard” and that “1,000 days” have passed since Israel chose not to listen. Hagar Chen, mother of hostage soldier Sgt. Itay Chen, said her son was “fought for heroically, abandoned, kidnapped, and returned to us only after 760 days,” asking why it took so long and why the government still fears a state inquiry after 1,000 days.