Israel marks October 7 anniversary as London protest draws 10,000 and 20 arrests

Israel has marked the third anniversary of the Hamas-led October 7 attacks with a national day of remembrance, while pro-Palestinian protests took place in London and debates over antisemitism and Zionism continued in Britain.

Commemorations began with a nationwide minute of silence at 6.29am, the time the attacks started in 2023. Ceremonies were held at Kibbutz Kfar Aza, the Nova music festival site in Re'im, and in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. At the Nova site, where more than 360 people were killed and dozens taken hostage, families laid flowers and candles beside memorials bearing the names and photographs of victims.

Israel's Ministry of Heritage says 1,145 people were killed on October 7, including 779 civilians and 366 military and security personnel. Other reports put the death toll at around 1,200. Hamas and other groups took 251 hostages. Only 168 returned alive through rescues and deals, and this is the first anniversary since all remaining hostages were released or their remains returned.

Families described the day as an open wound. One Israeli, Efrat Machikawa, said six relatives were kidnapped, five were later released and one, Efrat Katz, was killed. Her uncle, Gadi Moses, returned after 482 days. Another family member, Adam Ma'anit, said his cousin Tsachi Idan was taken hostage and died in captivity, with his body returned under a ceasefire deal. He said the family had failed to bring him home alive.

In Gaza, Israel launched a military offensive after the attacks. The Gaza Health Ministry says more than 74,000 Palestinians have been killed, most of them civilians, and the United Nations considers those figures reliable. Much of Gaza lies in ruins, with hundreds of thousands of people displaced and a humanitarian crisis continuing. A US-brokered ceasefire has been in effect since October 10 last year, but reports say Israel has killed more than 1,400 Palestinians since then, including at least two since dawn on the anniversary. Plans for Israeli withdrawal, Hamas disarmament and reconstruction are stalled.

Israel is due to hold a general election within three weeks, and the security failure of October 7 is a central issue. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has denied responsibility for the attacks and rejected reports that he was warned about Hamas plans, including by the UAE president. He has refused calls for a state commission of inquiry, saying the judiciary would be biased against him. Protesters have asked Israel's highest court to force his hand. Polls suggest a close race, with opposition figures including former IDF commander Gadi Eisenkot neck and neck with Netanyahu.

In London, up to 10,000 people marched through the centre of the city. The Metropolitan Police said around 20 arrests were made, and some people climbed on top of the Battle of Britain memorial. Counter-protesters gathered alongside the march, some carrying Israeli and British flags. Five people were arrested on suspicion of inciting racial hatred outside the Board of Deputies of British Jews. A student coalition said it chose the anniversary to highlight what it calls three years of genocide. Police had imposed conditions on the march, including route restrictions and a ban on protesters covering their faces. Earlier, police said two pro-Palestinian demonstrators were arrested during a student-led march.

The anniversary also reignited arguments in Britain over antisemitism and Zionism. The Green Party passed a motion defining Zionism as racist by 1,022 votes to 813, prompting Israel to accuse the party of giving legitimacy to terrorism. The UK prime minister, Andy Burnham, said an attack on Jewish people in Britain is an attack on all of us and that antisemitism has no place in the country. Jewish community figures reported harassment and abuse, and some said not enough was being done to protect them.