Overview

• Relatives and survivors gathered before sunrise at Re’im, observing a 6:29 a.m. silence beside rows of portraits and flowers that now mark the former dance floor.
• Families recounted intimate losses, including a young couple found in each other’s arms, as loved ones worked to preserve personal stories at the site.
• Police actions during the 2023 assault were remembered, with relatives noting that Sergeant Major Alon Barad and colleagues helped evacuate more than 1,500 festivalgoers before he was killed.
• The anniversary reflections unfolded against a war that has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, drawn a UN commission accusation of genocide that Israel rejects, and left Israelis citing 1,200 killed and 251 taken hostage on 7 October 2023.
• Reporters described explosions and airstrikes continuing nearby, and coverage noted indirect Israel–Hamas talks in Egypt that some see as a tentative opening.