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Thousands of Israelis staged a large anti-government protest in Tel Aviv on Saturday, October 24, demanding an independent state commission of inquiry into the security failures surrounding the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, just three days before Israel’s general election.
Organised by the October Council, a group representing survivors, former hostages and bereaved families, the rally called for accountability over the failure to prevent the attack that triggered the Gaza war.
The demonstration took place at Hostages Square, with protesters urging voters to demand answers about the events of October 7.
Leaders of major opposition parties, including Gadi Eisenkot, Yair Lapid, Naftali Bennett, Avigdor Liberman and Yair Golan, attended the rally.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has resisted calls for an independent state commission of inquiry, arguing that such a body could be biased.
Instead, it has proposed an inquiry mechanism involving lawmakers from both the ruling coalition and the opposition, a proposal rejected by opposition leaders.
The protest came ahead of Israel’s October 27 parliamentary election, which is being closely watched amid public criticism of the government’s handling of the October 7 attack and its aftermath.
The election is expected to determine the political direction of the country as Netanyahu faces a challenge from opposition parties.
