National October 7 memorial ceremony draws crowd of some 30,000 people

Israel’s national memorial event marking two years since Hamas’s brutal October 7, 2023, onslaught — in which over 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage — has begun in Tel Aviv, drawing some 30,000 attendees.

The ceremony, organized by Kumu (“Rise Up”), a movement founded by families of victims, hostages, and survivors of the attack, is being held at Yarkon Park, Tel Aviv’s largest outdoor venue.

Speakers include former hostage Omer Shem Tov and Anat Angrest, mother of hostage Matan Angrest, alongside performances by Israeli artists Yuval Rafael, Idan Amedi, and more.

Unlike last year, the Israeli government chose not to hold an official state memorial, instead designating a national day of remembrance on the day after Simchat Torah — the Hebrew anniversary of the massacre — on the 24th of Tishrei, which this year, falls on October 16. As a result, Kumu’s event has become the country’s main memorial ceremony for the October 7 attacks.