Israel Commemorates Holocaust Remembrance Day Amid Conflict with Hamas and Hostage Crisis

On April 24, 2025, Israel observed Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, amid the ongoing conflict with Hamas and the unresolved hostage crisis in Gaza. The day included a nationwide two-minute silence and ceremonies attended by leaders, Holocaust survivors, and families of hostages. President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized the connection between Holocaust memory and current security challenges. The commemorations were marked by the memory of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks. In Poland, Herzog led the March of the Living at Auschwitz, highlighting the enduring impact of the Holocaust.

A Nation Pauses in Silence

At precisely 10:00 a.m. local time, sirens wailed across Israel, bringing the country to a complete halt. Drivers exited their vehicles on highways, pedestrians stood still, and daily life paused for two minutes of silence in tribute to Holocaust victims. This annual tradition, deeply embedded in Israeli society, serves as a national moment of reflection and unity.

The official state ceremony began the previous evening at Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem. Held under the theme “Out of the Depths: The Pain of Liberation and Growth,” the event was attended by President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and other senior officials. Holocaust survivor Gad Fartouk, 93, lit one of six memorial torches and offered a prayer: “May all the hostages come home soon. Amen.”

Leaders Address the Past and Present

President Herzog used the occasion to deliver a message of vigilance and remembrance. “From this mountain of memory, Yad Vashem, we declare: We will not forget, we will not forgive and we will not remain silent. Not in the face of Hamas, not in the face of Iran, and not in the face of those who wish us harm – whether with missiles, machetes, or lies,” he said.

Prime Minister Netanyahu drew a direct line between the Holocaust and Israel’s current security challenges. “Eighty years ago, the Jewish people were defenseless. Today, we are no longer helpless. The State of Israel is strong, the IDF is strong, and we will do whatever is necessary to return our hostages and defeat our enemies,” he stated. He further described Hamas as “as bad as the Nazis,” emphasizing the government’s resolve to continue military operations in Gaza.

Netanyahu also pledged, “We will destroy all [Hamas’s] capabilities, bring all our hostages back, defeat Hamas and prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.” His remarks underscored the government’s position that the memory of the Holocaust must inform Israel’s defense policies.

The Shadow of October 7

The 2025 Yom HaShoah commemorations were deeply marked by the memory of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, which killed 1,218 people, mostly civilians, and led to the abduction of over 240 individuals. As of this year’s remembrance day, 59 hostages, including Americans, remain in captivity in Gaza.

Families of the hostages were present at ceremonies in Israel and abroad. In a poignant moment at Yad Vashem, a mother of a hostage cried out, “We built Israel to protect ourselves, so why aren’t we rescuing the hostages and protecting our citizens?” Her words echoed the frustration and urgency felt by many Israelis.

Former hostage Eli Sharabi, marching in Poland in memory of his brother Yossi—whose body remains in Gaza—said, “We will never forget or forgive the horrors of the Holocaust. Yet every representative who has come here from the Oct. 7 delegation is a triumph of light for the Jewish people, and a reminder that the Jewish people will exist for eternity.”

March of the Living in Poland

In Poland, President Herzog led the annual March of the Living at the former Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp. He was joined by thousands of Israeli youth, Holocaust survivors, and a delegation of 10 freed hostages. The march commemorates the death marches from Auschwitz to Birkenau and serves as a powerful educational experience for young Israelis.

This year’s march paid special tribute to the Allied forces who liberated the Nazi camps 80 years ago. Among the participants was Merrill Eisenhower Atwater, great-grandson of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, who led the Allied liberation of Europe.

A Diminishing Generation

According to official data, approximately 120,507 Holocaust survivors currently live in Israel, a decline of nearly 10% from the previous year. A recent report titled “Vanishing Witnesses” projects that by 2035, only 30% of today’s survivors will remain, and by 2040, that number will drop to just over 22,000.

Many survivors continue to live in financial distress. In Israel, more than a quarter of survivors live below the poverty line, relying on limited pensions and welfare support. The government’s recently passed budget has not significantly improved their conditions.

Global Observance and Rising Antisemitism

Yom HaShoah is observed annually on the 27th of Nissan in the Hebrew calendar, typically falling in April or May. It is distinct from International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which is marked on January 27. Ceremonies and educational programs took place across Jewish communities worldwide.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump issued a proclamation to mark the occasion, stating, “The price to humanity of the lives lost during the Shoah can never be fully grasped or understood. Yet, even in the wake of the Holocaust, a self-determined Jewish homeland rose from the ashes as the modern State of Israel.”

Trump also noted the rise in antisemitism following the October 7 attacks, calling it “the worst outbreak of antisemitism on American soil in generations.”

A Day of Memory and Resolve

As Israel marked Yom HaShoah, the nation stood united in grief and remembrance, but also in determination. The ceremonies served not only to honor the victims of the Holocaust but also to reaffirm the country’s commitment to the safety and future of the Jewish people. With the war in Gaza ongoing and hostages still in captivity, the day’s events were a stark reminder of the enduring relevance of the Holocaust’s lessons in a world still grappling with hatred and violence.

References

• Israel commemorates Holocaust Remembrance Day with two minutes of nationwide silence
• Israel pauses as the Jewish state honors and remembers victims of the Holocaust
• Sirens sound in Israel as nation commemorates Holocaust - The Times of India
• Israel pauses as the Jewish state honors and remembers victims of the Holocaust
• Israel's Netanyahu calls Hamas 'Nazis' at Holocaust memorial – DW – 04/24/2025
• Polish and Israeli presidents lead March of the Living at Auschwitz
• Your Daily Phil: Yom HaShoah in the shadow of war (again)
• Israel Marks Holocaust Remembrance Day Amid Ongoing Conflict