‘Who will take responsibility?’ - October 7 families confront Netanyahu on Israel election day
Key Takeaways
- Relatives of October 7 victims question the government's Families call for a state commission to investigate security failures, while Netanyahu's government backs a different process.
- The families gather at Hostages Square as Israelis vote in an election overshadowed by questions about October 7.
Families of victims and former hostages demand accountability for the October 7 attack, calling for an independent investigation as Israelis head to the polls.
"The state was supposed to protect her, but it failed. Since that morning, I have lived with pain that has no end and one question that will not go away: Who will take responsibility here?"
These were the words of Eyal Eshel, whose 19-year-old daughter Roni was killed during the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack while serving as an Israeli military observer at Nahal Oz.
Eshel joined other families of victims and former hostages at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, demanding answers from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government as Israelis voted in a national election.
The gathering began at 06:29 local time (04:29 GMT), marking the moment Hamas launched its attack on Israel, which killed around 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages being taken, according to Israeli authorities.
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Israel's subsequent military offensive killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and caused widespread destruction across Gaza.
Among those demanding accountability was Einav Tzangauker, whose son Matan spent 738 days in Hamas captivity before being released.
She criticised the government's handling of the hostage crisis and questioned why the captives had not been brought home earlier.
"Go out and vote so this failure never happens again, so we know what happened and who is responsible, and so we can finally begin to repair and rebuild," she said.
Michel Michael Ilouz, whose son Guy was murdered while held hostage, also addressed the gathering, urging Israelis to remember the victims when casting their ballots.
"From here, I call on the people of Israel: remember him, and remember everyone, when you vote. Vote for change, vote for hope, vote to make things a little different here."
The families have repeatedly demanded an independent state commission of inquiry into the security and intelligence failures surrounding October 7.
Netanyahu's government has instead supported an investigative panel appointed through a different process.
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Israel's High Court postponed its ruling on the proposed inquiry until after the election, giving the government until January 15, 2027, to explain how it intends to investigate the failures.
Questions over the government's handling of the attack have also intensified following reports that Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel warned Israel three times before October 7, including an alleged warning delivered directly to Netanyahu.
The prime minister denied receiving those warnings.
Earlier in October, former Israeli hostage negotiator Major General Nitzan Alon suggested that the captives could have been released 'maybe a year earlier' without seriously compromising Israel's military objectives.
Tuesday's election saw Netanyahu's Likud party and its allies face a divided opposition, including former military chief Gadi Eisenkot.
The unresolved questions surrounding October 7 remained a major issue as Israelis went to the polls.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
