Eshkol Council holds memorial ceremony for October 7 massacre: 'The pain continues'

About 2,000 residents of the Eshkol Regional Council, including bereaved families, freed hostages, and residents who have not yet returned to their homes, participated on Tuesday evening in the main memorial ceremony marking three years since the October 7 massacre. The ceremony was held in the council plaza in memory of 259 residents of Eshkol who were murdered. The event took place under heightened security and alertness due to fears of a Hamas attempt to create a provocation. Reinforced security forces were deployed in the area, and participants were given Home Front Command instructions. Council head Michal Uziyahu addressed the gap between the ongoing pain and the rehabilitation processes, noting that 259 residents were murdered and 119 were kidnapped. She pointed to signs of recovery: new homes in Mivtahim, a young neighborhood in Nirim, and the first wedding in Nir Oz. Uziyahu called for the establishment of a state commission of inquiry and for taking responsibility. The ceremony was also attended by Southern Command Major General Yaniv Asor and other public figures who spoke.