Today (Wednesday) at 6:29 a.m., people gathered at locations across the country to mark three years since the Hamas attack and massacre in the communities of the western Negev, which began at 6:29 a.m. on October 7, 2023.
Around 500 people gathered at the Kfar Aza armory for a memorial ceremony, the first of three to be held at the kibbutz today. Seven members of the civilian security team were killed in the fighting on October 7, out of the 15 who were members of the team. In total, 62 Kfar Aza residents were murdered or killed in the Hamas attack, and 19 were abducted from the kibbutz.
Dafna Russo, widow of Major Uri Russo, who was killed while serving as a member of the kibbutz’s civilian security team: “Uri left the house for the armory without saying goodbye. For three years now, we’ve been stuck on that.”
“Once, the armory was just an armory; no one who was here wanted to be part of a ceremony,” said Idan Schlesinger, a member of the kibbutz’s civilian security team. “This is the place where no grand words were spoken, but great things were done. Going out into the fire was done with a clear understanding of the scale of the danger, with complete clarity. Our communal tragedy is intertwined with the memory that, when the moment of truth came, we all showed up. We saw death up close. There isn’t a member of the civilian security team who didn’t say: These are my last words.”
Shahar Handy, widow of Captain Avi Handy, who served as the deputy head of the kibbutz’s civilian security team: “Three years have passed, and life has been turned upside down. In hindsight, we’ve learned so much—what you managed to do and where you fell. How seriously you took your role, how much you invested in training and preparation. How proud you were that you were the best civilian security team in the area. You performed as well as you possibly could.”
Ceremonies at the President’s Residence and Sderot Police Station
President Isaac Herzog and his wife, Michal Herzog, lit a memorial candle at the President’s Residence at 6:29 a.m.
Israel Police Commissioner Danny Levy and dozens of police officers saluted at 6:29 a.m. to honor the bravery of police officers who fought on October 7 and in memory of fallen police officers. The coordinated salute took place at the site of the old Sderot police station and at additional locations where Israel Police officers fell that day.
Protest Outside the Knesset, Ayalon Highway Blocked
Civilians held a “Yizkor” memorial ceremony outside the Knesset as an act of protest. A burned-out car installation was also brought to the site.
In Tel Aviv, the Ayalon Highway was blocked in both directions at 6:29 a.m., and signs were put up reading: “The people will remember their sons and daughters.” At the same time, memorial and protest gatherings were held at other intersections across the country.
