We are starting our live coverage on the third anniversary of the Hamas-led 7 October attack on southern Israel, in which about 1,200 people were killed and another 251 taken back to Gaza as hostages.

Israeli communities shattered by the massacres, torn between rebuilding their lives and remembering lost friends and relatives, have spoken to my colleague Emma Graham-Harrison about their experiences.

Israel responded to the attack by launching a devastating war on Gaza, during which at least 74,243 people have been killed, according to the territory’s health ministry, whose figures are considered reliable by the UN.

In 2025, a UN commission found that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, citing tens of thousands of civilian deaths and massive destruction. Israel denies accusations of genocide, but the war, which is continuing despite a nominal ceasefire, has left it isolated on the world stage.

Israel held a national memorial day on Monday for the victims of the Hamas attack and also remembered the soldiers who lost their lives fighting in Gaza.

Flags were lowered to half-staff at the Israeli parliament – the Knesset – and the president’s residence in the morning, while two state ceremonies were held at the Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem.

Many Israelis are still grappling with the trauma of the 7 October attack, the deadliest in the country’s history, with the memory of the assault and its aftereffects continuing to loom large and feature heavily in political debate.