Strong public protests and complaints target the Israeli government’s actions during and after the attacks, occurring just three weeks before definitive parliamentary elections in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces scrutiny over security failures and the prolonged conflict.

Three years after the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack, protests and renewed demands for government accountability are putting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu under intense scrutiny as Israel approaches its first national election since the attacks.

Demonstrators gathered across Israel on Wednesday, including outside the Knesset in Jerusalem, calling for a state commission of inquiry into the security failures that preceded the attack. Some protesters accused Netanyahu’s government of failing to adequately protect Israelis and demanded answers over how the assault was able to take place. 

The October 7 attack killed about 1,200 people in Israel and saw 251 others taken hostage, according to Israeli and international reporting. The assault triggered Israel’s prolonged military campaign in Gaza, which has resulted in more than 74,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza health authorities cited by Reuters. 

The anniversary comes just 20 days before Israel’s October 27 parliamentary election. The vote is the country’s first since the attack, making October 7 a central issue in the campaign and placing Netanyahu’s handling of the security failure and subsequent war under renewed political scrutiny. 

Netanyahu has rejected personal responsibility for the security breach and has resisted calls for an independent state investigation. His opponents, however, argue that political and security leaders must answer for the failures that preceded the attack. Families of victims and former supporters of the prime minister have also joined calls for a formal inquiry. 

The political debate has become particularly visible during the anniversary commemorations. At protests outside parliament, demonstrators carried signs criticizing the government’s handling of October 7 and linking the anniversary directly to the upcoming election. 

For many Israelis, the election is therefore not simply another political contest. The attack, the government’s response, the fate of the hostages and the question of who should be held accountable for the security failures have become central issues shaping the country’s political debate.

As Israel remembers those killed three years ago, the demonstrations show that the events of October 7 remain not only a national trauma but also a major unresolved political issue ahead of the country’s next vote.