Thousands rallied Saturday night at Habima Square, joining bereaved families, relatives of hostages and survivors of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack to demand a state commission of inquiry, even as the government continues to resist establishing one.
Members of the October Council, a group representing families directly affected by the attack, led the demonstration. Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, opposition leader Yair Lapid and lawmakers Benny Gantz, Gadi Eisenkot and Yair Golan attended in support.
In a statement, the group said that “in a week when the government is rushing to create a political whitewash committee, the Israeli public is showing in massive numbers that its red lines have been crossed. More than two years after the worst disaster in Israel’s history, a major rally will take place at Habima Square demanding an immediate state commission of inquiry.”
The call came days after the cabinet announced plans to form an “independent commission of inquiry with full investigative powers,” with a ministerial committee tasked with proposing the commission’s mandate within 45 days. The committee is expected to define what the inquiry will cover and the time periods it will examine.
As part of their campaign, families unveiled a “Wall of Truth,” a large white display erected in the square where Israelis were invited to write the unanswered questions they believe a state commission must investigate. The wall drew references to longstanding concerns from residents of the Gaza border region, known as the Gaza envelope, which suffered catastrophic losses on Oct. 7.
“This wall is a voice and it will only grow stronger. We will not give up, we will not be silent and we will not allow anyone to erase the truth,” said El Ashel, whose daughter Roni, a military lookout, was killed at the Nahal Oz post during the attack.
Standing before the wall, he added: “Behind it is a generation with an open wound. For those who lost a child or a sibling, time has stopped. This is where we return the conversation to you, the citizens of Israel. You can write your questions here: Who knew? Which commanders ignored Roni? Who abandoned the Gaza border region? Where was the Air Force?”
The October Council says only a state commission of inquiry — the highest investigative authority under Israeli law — can address those questions and compel officials to testify under oath.