The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) commemorated the second anniversary of the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas militants with a solemn event on Thursday at the Nahal Oz base.
Among those present were the General Staff Forum, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, and Yiska Steinberg, widow of the former Nahal Brigade leader, Col. Yonatan Steinberg. At precisely 6:29 a.m., marking the exact time the assault began two years ago, attendees paused in silence to honor the memory of those lost on that day and throughout the ensuing conflict.
Following the moment of reflection, Col. Ido Kass, who spearheaded the investigation into the events at Nahal Oz, provided a detailed recounting of the October 7 attack in 2023.
The commemoration also featured a panel discussion titled “Memory, Responsibility, Heroism, and Hope,” which included members of the General Staff Forum, Capt. Bar Zonshine, who led battles near the Gaza Strip, and former hostages Chen and Agam Goldstein-Almog.
Lt. Gen. Zamir addressed the gathering, stating, “Today, we confront the failures of October 7th and look forward to our future. We honor the civilians, commanders, and soldiers who sacrificed their lives. Our dedication extends to supporting bereaved families, injured troops, and those who survived captivity. Moreover, we pledge to bring back the last of the fallen hostages, as this remains our moral obligation.”
He continued, “In our commitment, we have reviewed the battles and shared our findings with the communities. We are dedicated to learning from our past to ensure such errors are not repeated. The IDF is tasked with moving forward, embracing growth, renewal, and hope.”
Matan Angrest, one of the 20 living hostages who returned to Israel on Oct. 13, 2025, was captured while defending the Nahal Oz base. (IDF Spokesperson’s Unit)
Zamir noted that amid the IDF failures on Oct. 7, stories of heroism emerged. He said those who acted selflessly in the face of terror needed to be honored, announcing the establishment of the Decorations Committee, which would fulfill that mission.
Matan Angrest, one of the 20 living hostages who returned to Israel on Monday, was kidnapped on Oct. 7, 2023, while defending Nahal Oz.
Several hostages’ testimonies indicated that Angrest was subjected to particularly harsh treatment while in captivity, including starvation and torture. The Jerusalem Post reported that Angrest suffers from asthma, which worsened in the damp and humid tunnels.
In April 2025, while Angrest was still in Gaza, former hostage Ron Krivoi — who was released from captivity in November 2023 — spoke to Israel’s Channel 12 and said that Angrest was being severely abused by Hamas, according to The Times of Israel.
“The interrogations he went through happened while still in Israeli territory — that’s where it started. They already connected him to a car battery on the way and tried to revive him. Using car batteries, they electrocuted him,” Krivoi told Channel 12, according to The Times of Israel. “They weren’t able to interrogate him. He probably wasn’t even in a condition to speak because he was badly injured. His injuries were very severe.”
On Monday, all remaining living hostages returned to Israel. So far, Hamas has only handed over the remains of nine out of the 28 deceased hostages the terrorist group is required to hand over according to the ceasefire terms. Two of the deceased hostages whose remains are in Gaza are U.S. citizens, Omer Neutra and Itay Chen. Chen was killed while fighting alongside Angrest.
