Israel Marks Two Years Since Oct. 7 Attacks

Israel marked two years since the Hamas Oct. 7 attacks with local memorials across the country—informal ceremonies in hard-hit kibbutzim, a Nova festival memorial, a bereaved-families ceremony in Tel Aviv—and a national state commemoration deferred to Oct. 16 after the Jewish holiday. Indirect Egypt-mediated talks over a US-backed plan aiming for a ceasefire, hostage releases and prisoner swaps were under way, with President Trump saying there had been "tremendous progress." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was "close to ending the war" but that Hamas had not been destroyed and tied any end to the return of hostages. The anniversary exposed deep domestic divisions: bereaved families organized main memorials while large protests and rallies demanded the return of hostages and an end to the fighting. The human toll remains severe: about 1,200 people were killed in the Oct. 7 attack and roughly 251 were abducted (around 48 are still believed held), while Gaza’s death toll and destruction are reported in the tens of thousands, fueling international unease.