The October 7 anniversary arrived on Wednesday with grief on one side and exhaustion on the other. Israelis gathered to remember the Hamas-led attack of 2023, while in Gaza, millions of Palestinians marked another day in the ruins left by the war that followed.

A Day of Mourning in Israel

Families gathered at roadside intersections, bomb shelters and the site of the music festival that militants overran three years ago. The attack killed 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. It remains the deadliest assault in Israel’s history.

This is the first anniversary with all the hostages back home, which many describe as the start of a new stage of grief. The government held its official memorial on October 5, closer to the Hebrew-calendar date, and the separate events reflect deep divisions over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s handling of the war and his reluctance to order an official inquiry into the failures of that day.

A Survivor Marks His First Anniversary at Home

Elkana Bohbot, 37, was taken from the Nova festival and held for 738 days, mostly in a dark, damp tunnel about 50 metres underground. He described a tiny cell shared with other hostages, scarce food, washing only every few weeks, and being forced to appear in propaganda videos.

In the 11 months since his release, he has rebuilt his life, written a book and started speaking publicly. In August, his wife gave birth to a daughter, fulfilling a promise he made himself underground to give his 5-year-old son a sibling.

Life in Gaza

No events were expected in Gaza on Wednesday. Around 90 percent of the population has been displaced, often several times, and most of the roughly 2 million residents live in crowded tent camps among rubble. Restrictions on goods and aid have contributed to a severe hunger crisis.

The numbers are stark:

• More than 74,000 Palestinians killed, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, whose figures UN agencies and independent experts generally consider reliable
• Around half of those killed were women and children, the ministry says
• 1,145 Palestinians killed since the ceasefire took effect on October 10 last year
• Seven Israeli soldiers killed in the same period
• More than half the territory still held by the Israeli military

Israeli strikes continue almost daily, targeting what Israel says are Hamas militants.

A Region Transformed

The attack set off a chain of conflicts across the Middle East:

• Israeli troops occupy a large part of southern Lebanon in fighting with Hezbollah, with more than 300,000 Lebanese still displaced
• Israel has taken territory in Syria
• The United States joined Israel in attacking Iran’s military and nuclear programmes in two rounds, shaking global markets
• Violence has risen in the West Bank, where extremist settlers have attacked Palestinians and destroyed property

Hamas described the attack as a response to decades of occupation, land seizures and settlement building. Yet the Palestinian dream of statehood looks further away than ever.

What to Watch Next

• Israel’s election at the end of the month
• Whether Netanyahu faces pressure for an official inquiry
• The durability of the Gaza ceasefire
• Access for aid into the territory

The Bottom Line

Three years on, the wounds are fresh on both sides. Israelis remember the dead and rebuild after captivity, while Gazans endure devastation with little relief in sight, all against a region reshaped by war.