Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended his government’s handling of the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas attacks during a state ceremony on Monday, marking the first anniversary of the assault. While Netanyahu praised the country’s response, calling the war effort a success, bereaved families at an alternative memorial demanded government accountability and the establishment of a state commission of inquiry.
Speaking at the official National Memorial Ceremony for Bereaved Families in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu stated that Israel “was not defeated” and highlighted the military’s achievements in the ongoing war against Hamas. He reiterated that Israel’s goals included dismantling Hamas, returning hostages, and securing the country’s borders.
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“We have mobilized enormous spiritual power,” Netanyahu said. “We have defined the goals of the war, and we are achieving them.”
However, the tone at an alternative event organized by the families of the victims in Tel Aviv’s Yarkon Park was far more critical. Relatives of those killed and abducted in the attack accused the government of failing to protect Israel’s southern communities. Many called for a full state inquiry into the government’s failure to prevent the Hamas-led massacre that claimed the lives of 1,200 Israelis and saw 251 taken hostage.