Over 100,000 Rally in Tel Aviv Demanding October 7 Inquiry, Three Days Before Election

More than 100,000 people rallied at Tel Aviv's Hostages Square on October 24, three days before Israel's general election, to demand the establishment of a state commission of inquiry into the failures surrounding the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack, according to a report by The Times of Israel. Police did not provide an official crowd estimate. The demonstration was organized by the October Council, a group of October 7 survivors, bereaved families and former hostages critical of the government's handling of the war and its aftermath.

Elhanan Danino, father of slain hostage Ori Danino, told the crowd that officials resisting a formal inquiry probably had "something to hide." Other speakers included bereaved parents Viki Cohen and Mali Zender, as well as former hostages who addressed the rally directly.

Opposition leaders Gadi Eisenkot, Yair Golan, Avigdor Liberman, Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid all appeared at or voiced support for the rally, with several pledging to establish a state commission of inquiry if elected. The event came amid a tense final stretch of the campaign that has also included a West Bank shooting attack and a fresh round of security threats against opposition candidates.

Organizers framed the rally explicitly as a pre-election appeal, urging attendees to carry the demand for accountability into the voting booth on October 27 rather than treat it as a matter to be resolved after the government is formed.