From the Liveblog of
Sunday, March 17, 2024
Cabinet unanimously approves national day of remembrance for October 7 attack, Gaza war
Sam Sokol is the Times of Israel's political correspondent. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
The cabinet unanimously approves the observance of a national day of remembrance to commemorate the October 7 attack and subsequent Gaza war, to be held every year on the 24th of the Hebrew month of Tishrei.
The annual memorial will be marked by two state ceremonies honoring the memory of the servicemen and women who fell in the ongoing war against Hamas and the civilians murdered during Hamas’s initial attack. It will be held separately from Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s memorial day, which is held on 4 Iyar.
Since 24 Tishrei falls on Shabbat this year, the first anniversary of the attack will be held instead on its Gregorian date of October 7.
The unprecedented October 7 Hamas terror onslaught saw some 3,000 terrorists burst across the border into Israel by land, air and sea, killing some 1,200 people, most of them civilians slaughtered amid brutal atrocities, and seizing 253 hostages of all ages.
Lawmakers are currently working on legislation to criminalize the denial, minimization or celebration of the attack.
