Survivors rail at government on 1,000th day since Oct. 7: 'They've never taken responsibility'

Key Points:

• Protests and memorial events were held across Israel on the 1,000th day since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack that killed 1,200 people and triggered multiple wars, with survivors and families accusing the government of failing to take responsibility for the massacre.
• The October Council, composed of bereaved families, survivors, and former hostages, organized protests demanding a state commission of inquiry into the failures that allowed the attack, criticizing the government's refusal to establish an independent investigation.
• Memorials included events at the Nova music festival massacre site, where 361 people were killed, and at the Gaza border, with survivors and families emphasizing the ongoing trauma and the government's perceived cover-up and neglect.
• Deputy Minister Almog Cohen controversially blamed left-wing groups for the massacre, accusing them of undermining reserve duty, while survivors and former hostages condemned comments by Prime Minister Netanyahu and Finance Minister Smotrich as insensitive and politically motivated.
• Despite the trauma, communities like Kibbutz Kerem Shalom are rebuilding, with many residents returning, but tensions remain high as sporadic clashes continue along Israel's borders, and no permanent ceasefires have been achieved in the ongoing regional conflicts.