Israel to remember victims of Oct. 7 terrorist attack

Israel is commemorating the victims of the terrorist attack by the Islamist Hamas a year ago.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog will open the commemorations with mourning families on Monday at the site of the Nova music festival, marking the start of a three-day memorial journey to the massacre locations.

In the unprecedented terrorist attack on October 7, 2023, more than 1,200 people were killed in southern Israel and around 250 were taken hostage to the Gaza Strip.

While the nation unites in mourning, the country is also divided in its approach to the services.

Relatives of the hostages are organising their own memorial rally in Tel Aviv at the time of the first shots being fired that morning.

Later, the Israeli government will broadcast a memorial service that has been pre-recorded in southern Israel.

In view of security regulations in force due to the threat of rocket attacks, only a maximum of 1,000 people are allowed to attend on site.

The memorial services will be broadcast on the internet and on special television programmes.