Calls for inquiry dominate memorial events in Israel 1,000 days after Hamas attacks

The cracks in Israel's political unity were on full display this week as the country marked 1,000 days since Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack, with renewed calls for an independent state commission of inquiry into the events surrounding the unprecedented assault and the government's response.

Commemorative ceremonies and protest events were held across Israel on July 2, reflecting both remembrance for the victims and growing criticism of the government's handling of the attack and its aftermath, Israeli media reports.

Among the principal organizers was the October Council, a group established by families of those killed and the hostages taken during the attack. Demonstrations were held both outside the Knesset and near the homes of senior government officials.

"The families of the hostages and the bereaved families are demanding the establishment of a state commission of inquiry now!" members of the council stated ahead of the events. 

In Tel Aviv, the square that became known as Hostages Square during the campaign to secure the captives' release was scheduled to be renamed Memory Square. A memorial gathering at Yarkon Park brought together relatives of victims alongside leading figures from the protest movement critical of the government's conduct.

The Chief of Staff of Israel Defence Forces (IDF), Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir also marked the anniversary.

"This day reminds us of our overall responsibility and the weight that rests on our shoulders."

"We remember, we learn, and we prepare for the continuation of combat and the many challenges still ahead," he said in a statement.

Former IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot, who is considered a leading opposition contender to challenge Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the October elections, posted a brief message on X.

"1,000 days. We will still prove ourselves worthy. I promise. Gadi," it stated.

Eisenkot's son was killed while serving in northern Gaza in December 2023. At the time, Eisenkot was a member of Israel's wartime cabinet.

Opposition leader Avigdor Lieberman, who held a wide range of ministerial posts throughout the past decades, visited Kibbutz Kfar Aza, one of the communities hardest hit during the Hamas-led attack. According to Israel's Kan public broadcaster, Lieberman described the assault as "the worst catastrophe in the history of the Jewish people since the Holocaust."

Lieberman accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government of attempting to avoid responsibility despite what he said were clear warning signs before the attack.

He argued that, even after 1,000 days, "all fronts remain open" and criticized the governing coalition for leaving Israel in a state of "chaos and anarchy."

Tainted international standing

The October 7 attack and the ensuing war in Gaza have also had a significant impact on Israel's perception abroad, most crucially in the United States, its closest diplomatic and military ally.

According to an April survey by the Pew Research Center, 60% of Americans held a somewhat or very unfavourable view of Israel in 2026, up from 42% in 2022.

The Hamas-led attack killed 1,221 people and resulted in 251 hostages being taken to Gaza, according to official Israeli figures. The return of all surviving hostages and the remains of those who died was completed in January 2026.

According to Gaza's Health Ministry, which is run by Hamas, Israel's subsequent military campaign killed more than 73,000 people before a ceasefire took effect on October 10, 2025. The United Nations has said the ministry's casualty figures are generally considered reliable, while noting that it does not independently verify every reported death.

By Nazrin Sadigova