Thousands Rally in Tel Aviv Demanding an October 7 Inquiry Three Days Before Israel's Election

Thousands of Israelis rallied in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv on Saturday, three days before the country's general election, to demand an independent inquiry into security failures that preceded the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023. Al Jazeera described the crowd as thousands, while The Jerusalem Post reported that more than 100,000 people took part. It is the first general election since the war in Gaza began.

The protest was organised by the October Council, a group founded by families of captives taken to Gaza. Organisers included survivors and former hostages. Opposition figures also attended. Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, received a warm reception from the crowd, according to The Times of Israel. Yair Golan, leader of the Democrats, was also there, and he warned against defections from the opposition.

Speakers included Danielle Aloni, who told the crowd, "Do not give up on the truth." The father of a slain hostage said that whoever opposes a state commission of inquiry, a formal body set up to examine how events unfolded, "probably has a reason." The mother of a freed hostage said the government was preventing an inquiry into October 7 rather than taking responsibility for what happened.

Netanyahu's coalition government has refused demands for an independent commission of inquiry. Instead it has offered a political commission, with half its members appointed by the government and half by opposition legislators. Opposition leaders have said they will boycott a commission appointed by politicians.

Polls ahead of the vote show Netanyahu's right-wing bloc roughly level with the bloc led by Eisenkot, and neither is projected to win a majority of seats in parliament. Eisenkot has vowed to stop Netanyahu from "securing a tie" in the election.

Protests were held across Israel on Saturday. Earlier, families of October 7 victims had announced plans for a campaign of protests on election day, according to Haaretz. That campaign was to begin at 6:29 a.m., the time the Hamas-led massacres began, with a press statement planned at Hostages Square.