The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) conducted a ceremony on Thursday at the Nahal Oz base, commemorating the second anniversary of the attack that occurred there on October 7, 2023.
Attendees included members of the General Staff Forum, notably IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, and Yiska Steinberg, who is the widow of the late Col. Yonatan Steinberg, a former commander of the Nahal Brigade. A moment of silence was observed by those present at 6:29 a.m. local time, mirroring the commencement time of the 2023 attacks, to honor individuals who perished on October 7, 2023, and during the subsequent conflict.
Following the moment of silence, Col. Ido Kass, who headed the investigation into the engagement, provided an account of the events that unfolded at the Nahal Oz base on October 7, 2023.
Beyond the memorial event, members of the General Staff Forum participated in a discussion panel titled “Memory, Responsibility, Heroism, and Hope.” Capt. Bar Zonshine, who led and engaged in combat in areas adjacent to the Gaza Strip, also joined the panel. Former captives Chen and Agam Goldstein-Almog were likewise part of the discussion.
Zamir stated, “Today, we confront the failure of October 7th directly and focus on our future. We pay tribute to the civilians, commanders, and soldiers who valiantly sacrificed their lives. Our pledge is to persist in supporting the grieving families, military personnel, those wounded physically and mentally, and the survivors of captivity. Furthermore, we will tirelessly work and speak out until the final fallen hostages are recovered; this represents a moral imperative for us.”
He further added, “Driven by our commitment, we have carried out investigations into the conflicts and shared our findings with the affected communities. We are continuously researching, assessing, and applying the insights gained. The IDF is determined not to replicate past errors.” He concluded, “The IDF bears the responsibility to transition from the experiences of the last two years towards development, revitalization, and optimism.”
Zamir observed that despite the IDF’s shortcomings on October 7, instances of heroism surfaced. He emphasized the importance of recognizing individuals who acted selflessly when confronted with terror, and to achieve this, he announced the formation of a Decorations Committee.
Matan Angrest, among the 20 living hostages who returned on Monday, was abducted on October 7, 2023, during his defense of Nahal Oz.
Accounts from several former hostages suggested that Angrest endured exceptionally severe treatment during his captivity, encompassing starvation and torture. Reports indicated that Angrest’s asthma condition, which he suffers from, deteriorated due to the damp and humid conditions within the tunnels.
In April 2025, while Angrest remained captive in Gaza, Ron Krivoi, a former hostage who had been freed in November 2023, informed Israel’s Channel 12 that Hamas was subjecting Angrest to grave abuse, as per reports.
Krivoi informed Channel 12, as reported by The Times of Israel, “The interrogations he underwent began while he was still within Israeli territory. En route, they had already attached him to a car battery and attempted to revive him. They used car batteries to electrocute him.” He continued, “They were unable to question him. He was likely not even in a state to communicate due to his severe injuries. His injuries were exceedingly grave.”
All remaining living hostages arrived back in Israel on Monday. To date, Hamas has provided the remains of merely nine of the 28 deceased hostages it is obligated to return under the ceasefire agreement. Among the deceased hostages whose remains are held in Gaza are two U.S. citizens, Omer Neutra and Itay Chen. Chen died while engaged in combat alongside Angrest.