Communities Mark October 7 Attack Anniversary

Communities in Israel, the United States, Canada and South Korea marked the third anniversary of Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack with ceremonies, vigils and memorials honoring about 1,200 people killed and 251 taken hostage. In Israel, the anniversary has become a major issue ahead of the Oct. 27 election: opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot demanded an inquiry into the government’s preparedness, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shifted blame toward the Shin Bet and said Hamas would not govern Gaza. Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry says more than 1,400 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire began last October, and puts the war’s overall Palestinian death toll above 74,000; Israel says its strikes target Hamas and accuses the group of violating the truce. In New York, demonstrators protested Mayor Zohran Mamdani outside a memorial vigil after his remarks condemning Hamas while accusing Israel of abuses in Gaza drew criticism. The anniversary also came amid ongoing disputes over accountability and the war’s toll.