Three years later, October 7 is still not in the past for Israelis - editorial

OCTOBER 7, 2026 06:05Three years ago this morning, Israel woke up to the unimaginable.Hamas terrorists had breached the Gaza border, overrun communities and army bases, attacked a music festival, murdered some 1,200 people, and dragged 251 hostages into Gaza – all within hours, as the country suffered its deadliest day since its founding.Three years later, it can be tempting to think of October 7 as a dark moment that belongs to the past. But Israel has never really had the chance to put it there.The war that began that morning has yet to be fully resolved. Hamas has not been fully disarmed, its future in Gaza remains unsettled, and the questions of who will govern Gaza and what will prevent another October 7 remain unanswered.Beyond Gaza, Iran and its proxies remain a threat, and Israel continues to confront a region in which the possibility of another war is never far away.A woman cries at the Nova music festival memorial site on October 6, 2026. (credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)Life after October 7 is more about learning to live with what happenedFor much of the country, then, the past three years have been less about moving on from October 7 than about living with its consequences – and with the questions it left behind.But for many Israelis, October 7 is not simply something they have been living with. They are still living it.For former hostages, freedom itself remains a daily reminder of what was taken from them. Emily Damari, abducted and wounded from her home in Kfar Aza, has spoken about how captivity changed her relationship with the most ordinary parts of life.“Today, I open the fridge, and I say thank you,” Damari said. “I drink cold water, and I say thank you.”Eli Sharabi spent 491 days in captivity after being taken from Kibbutz Be’eri. His wife, Lianne, and their daughters, Noiya and Yahel, were murdered on October 7. His brother Yossi was taken hostage and died in Gaza. After his release, Sharabi said he had learned in captivity “how precious every moment and every choice can be.”“I choose life,” he said. “I choose to keep living fully, while carrying Lianne, Noiya, Yahel and Yossi with me in everything I do.”For Hagar Brodutch, who was abducted with her three children and a neighbor’s daughter, returning to life has been a more complicated process than the word “freedom” might suggest. She has described the immense daily struggle, particularly for children, and recently began taking pastry-baking classes as a way to build something new.“This is about much more than learning how to bake,” she said. “It is about finding a new path, creating something with my own hands, and slowly building a future.”Then there are those for whom there can be no return to the life they had before October 7.Michal Negri’s son, Maj. (res.) Roee Negri, 28, was killed fighting Hamas terrorists in Kibbutz Be’eri after spending the day rescuing civilians.How can Israelis hold their government accountable after October 7?In an interview with The Jerusalem Post, Negri said that three years had done little to diminish the questions raised that morning. Above all, she wants those responsible for the failures leading up to October 7 to be held accountable through a state commission of inquiry.“Everyone that was in the government, in any position of management, has to take responsibility and be inquired into, so we will be sure that it will never happen again,” she said.“How can you be sure that it will not happen again if you don’t inquire and ask questions?”That question is larger than one bereaved mother.Israel has changed dramatically since October 7, with the country’s political and defense establishments learning painful lessons about its enemies, its defenses and its own institutions. But lessons must be implemented, failures examined, decisions questioned – and responsibility determined.Three years later, Israel still has no state commission of inquiry into the worst national disaster in its history.That means October 7 remains unfinished business. For many Israelis, October 7 is not three years ago – it is both the past and the present.Ahead of Israel’s national elections, Israelis must remember that our enemies aren’t within, but those seeking to destroy us. May the memory of those killed on October 7, 2023, and since, be blessed.Follow us on Google