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.

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.

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 .

Some attendees questioned the government's responsibility for the security failures surrounding the attacks. “I don't think the army or the police have the whole responsibility,” said Elad, who also expressed concern about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu potentially remaining in power after the upcoming election.

Avi Shamriz, whose son Alon escaped Hamas captivity but was mistakenly killed by Israeli soldiers in Gaza , called for unity beyond political divisions.

“There is no right, no left; there is only bereavement, and we want to respect everyone's families,” he said, praising his son Yonatan for organising the ceremony.

The memorial comes ahead of Israel's October 27 parliamentary election , with Netanyahu facing a challenge from former military chief Gadi Eisenkot.

About 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage in the October 7 attacks. Israel's subsequent military offensive in Gaza has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.

"I am happy to announce to you that tonight, together with my friend Yair Lapid, I am doing the most Zionist and most patriotic act we have ever done for our country," Bennett said.

Bennett stated that if he returns to office, he will establish a state commission to investigate the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack, a step he said the current government has not taken.

“On the first day of a new government led by me, we will establish a state commission of inquiry into the October massacre to bring truth to the families and answers to all the people of Israel." He also said his administration would introduce a limit of eight years for a prime minister’s tenure.

Lapid, who currently leads the opposition, said Bennett would head the new party and described him as capable of leading the country.

He added that a unified opposition could defeat the current government, referencing Peter Magyar's landslide win against Viktor Orban in the recent elections in Hungary.

"After 16 years in power, Orban lost. It happened because people believed change was possible. They united behind a single candidate, fought for their country, and won. That's why Bennett and I are here."

Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, has faced criticism over his handling of regional conflicts and allegations that he has avoided accountability for failures during his time in office.

Bennett and Lapid previously formed a coalition that removed Netanyahu from power in 2021, ending his 12-year rule. The coalition lasted 18 months before Netanyahu returned to office in November 2022.

Archive footage from before the war reveals a stark contrast: families enjoying Gaza’s beaches, Muslims and Christians attending prayers, and the bustling daily life in the territory’s cities. Now, those images are juxtaposed with collapsed buildings, rubble-strewn streets, and desperate residents searching for food, medicine, and missing loved ones.

The war began on October 7, 2023, following a deadly Hamas-led attack on southern Israel that killed 1,139 people, including approximately 300 festivalgoers, according to Israeli authorities. Israel responded with widespread airstrikes and ground operations in Gaza, initiating one of the region's deadliest and most protracted conflicts in recent history.

In a potential turning point, U.S. President Donald Trump last week unveiled a new peace proposal aimed at ending the conflict. Indirect talks between Israel and Hamas began this Monday in Egypt, signalling a possible diplomatic breakthrough. Hamas has reportedly accepted parts of the plan, including the release of all remaining hostages held since the initial attack.

Despite ongoing violence and humanitarian collapse, international mediators are cautiously optimistic that the new round of negotiations may lead to a ceasefire and pave the way for longer-term peace in the region.