Israel marks 1,000 days since Hamas attack with nationwide protests

On July 2, 2026, Israel observed the 1,000‑day anniversary of the Oct 7, 2023 Hamas assault that killed roughly 1,200 Israelis and abducted more than 250. Thousands gathered in protests that began in Galilee and spread across the country, ending with a large rally at the so‑called Hostage Square in central Tel Aviv.

Opposition figures, including former defence minister Avigdor Lieberman, accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of covering up the government's failures. Lieberman described the massacre as “the worst catastrophe in the history of the Jewish people since the Holocaust” and warned that “all fronts remain open.”

The Oct 7 attack sparked the Gaza war, which the Hamas‑run health authority says has resulted in over 73,000 Palestinian deaths. Israel continues to reject accusations of war crimes and genocide.