July 2nd saw Israel commemorating the 1,000th day since the Hamas-led October 7th pogrom of 2023.
The first event began at 6.29am local time, to coincide with the exact moment at which Palestinian Islamists attacked Israel, triggering the war in Gaza. Hamas and its allies caused the deaths of 1,221 people in a single attack, while returning to Gaza with 251 hostages. Formally the conflict continued until a ceasefire commenced on October 10th, 2025.
The contribution of “October Council” to the day’s events will likely include gatherings in front of the Israeli parliament and near the homes of government ministers and their allies. The group declared:
The families of the hostages and the bereaved families are demanding the establishment of a state commission of inquiry now!
This event is one a several scheduled for today, characterised by common solidarity against Hamas but also, sometimes, by competing political agendas. It serves as an example of the way that Israelis, having pulled together in the face of an existential threat, are now starting to reassess the conduct of the war and the quality of national security beforehand—all in the tense build-up to October’s elections.
As we wrote of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in December 2023,
he had widespread popular support. That does not mean most Israelis now support his government. There will still be a settling of political accounts, preferably through the democratic process. But that will have to wait until democracy itself has been secured.
Calls for a state commission of inquiry within the context of October 7 memorial events could contribute to this process.
