Israel’s Memorial Day for Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terror will begin this evening (Tuesday) at 16:30 with a special ceremony at the Yad Labanim memorial center in Jerusalem. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, and Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion will attend the event.
Siren and Main Ceremony at the Western Wall at 20:00
At exactly 20:00, a one-minute siren will sound across the country, followed by the official state ceremony at the Western Wall Plaza.
President Isaac Herzog, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir will deliver addresses.
The ceremony will be broadcast live on the RegaNEWS website.
Commemorations at the Knesset Starting at 17:30
Before the evening siren, several ceremonies will be held at the Knesset throughout the afternoon:
- 17:30 – Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana will light the remembrance candle at the entrance to the Knesset, together with the family of Sergeant Tomer Keren z”l.
- 18:30 – The national flags at the Knesset Plaza will be lowered to half-mast in tribute to the fallen.
- 21:00 – A memorial ceremony for the fallen with the participation of state leaders at the Knesset Plaza.
- 21:15 – The official memorial event “Songs in Their Memory” at the Chagall Lounge in the Knesset, with the participation of the President of Israel, the Prime Minister, and the President of the Supreme Court.
Schedule of Wednesday Events at Mount Herzl
- 8:30 – Reading of the names of the fallen at the Hall of Remembrance.
- 11:00 – State memorial ceremony for Israel’s fallen soldiers, attended by the President, Prime Minister, and senior judicial officials.
- 13:00 – Memorial ceremony for victims of terror, with the participation of the country’s leadership.
- 19:45 – The torch-lighting ceremony at Mount Herzl, concluding Memorial Day and opening the 77th Independence Day celebrations.
Remembering the Nova Festival Victims
At 17:00, a special memorial ceremony will be held for the victims of the Nova music festival, who were murdered near Kibbutz Re’im during the October 7 massacre.
This event is part of the national effort to commemorate all who fell—both in the massacre and during the ongoing war.
Police Preparations: Hundreds of Officers Deployed
The Israel Police announced that it has completed its special preparations for Memorial Day and Independence Day. Hundreds of police officers, patrol units, and motorcyclists will be deployed along major highways—Route 1, Route 65, Route 90, Route 6, Route 20, and others—to manage traffic, prevent congestion, and respond quickly to any incident.
The police call on the public to heed the following instructions:
- Avoid distractions while driving.
- Do not stop on highway shoulders unless absolutely necessary.
- Plan routes and rest stops ahead of time.
The Numbers Behind Memorial Day
According to the Ministry of Defense, the total number of Israel’s fallen soldiers since 1860 stands at 25,420.
Since last year’s Memorial Day, 319 additional soldiers have fallen, along with 61 disabled veterans who succumbed to their wounds and have been recognized as fallen.
The National Insurance Institute also reports that 5,229 civilians have been murdered in terror attacks since the large-scale resettlement of Jewish communities in the Land of Israel—including 800 children and teenagers.
