Memorial Day events continued on Monday, starting with a two-minute siren nationwide at 11 a.m. to honor fallen soldiers and terror victims in the wake of the October 7 Hamas massacre and amid the subsequent war in Gaza.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attended the main state ceremony at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem at 11 a.m., followed by a tribute to terror victims at 1 p.m.
Netanyahu is himself a bereaved brother, having lost his brother Yonatan, a former commander of the Sayeret Matkal special operations unit, in a daring raid to rescue Israeli hostages from terrorists who hijacked their plane to Entebbe, Uganda in 1976.
Despite some bereaved families asking politicians to refrain from attending, other ministers participated in ceremonies across the country at 11 a.m.
Leaders from various political backgrounds have called for setting aside deep political rifts during Memorial Day events, aiming for a united commemoration before transitioning to Independence Day celebrations in the evening.
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IDF soldiers in the Gaza Strip observe moment of silence in memory of the fallen
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)