Hundreds attend October 7 vigil at Bondi, three years after terror attack

Hundreds of people have gathered for a vigil in Sydney commemorating three years since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel.

The event in Bondi held a minute's silence at 6:29am, the same time of day Hamas militants launched their deadly assault on Israel in 2023.

On that date, several thousand militants infiltrated southern Israel on a Jewish holiday, killing more than 1,200 civilians and taking some 250 others hostage.

It is considered the deadliest attack in Israel's 78-year history.

Michael Gencher, executive director StandWithUs Australia which works to combat antisemitism, told the service the events and consequences of October 7 still reverberated for Jewish communities around the world.

"Three years later, October 7th is not just a date in history, it is still with us," he said.

"It has changed the way many of us see the world and it has changed the way we see our place in this world."

He also acknowledged this year's anniversary was being held "in the shadow" of the December 14 massacre at Bondi Beach.

"For us, these events do not sit in isolation, they are part of the same three years in which hatred towards Israel and the Jewish people has become more visible, more accepted and more dangerous.

"October 7 changed Israel. October 7 changed Jewish communities around the world.

"Here in Australia we have seen things we never thought we would see."

'We've come through fire'

Israel's ambassador to Australia Hillel Newman told the crowd that behind every person killed on October 7 "a face and a family".

"Here in Australia many grieved with Israel for that there is great appreciation in Israel," he said.

"Sadly some here in Australia rejoiced in the slaughter of Jews and Israelis.

"There is a direct line between the shooting at Nova [the music festival targeted by Hamas] and the shooting at Bondi."

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin said it was a sombre event.

"We did what we always do, we uplifted each other with words and calls for peace, we've been through a great deal these last three years in the community, we've come through fire," told ABC News Breakfast.

"And we've remained who we are, we're proud Australians, we're proud Jews and we stand with Israel."

Israel's retaliatory attacks triggered the ongoing war in Gaza, which has killed more than 74,000 people according to the Gaza Health Ministry, a body under Hamas authority and whose figures are considered reliable by the United Nations.

Wednesday's event is one of a number across Australia organised by Jewish organisations in honour of those lost in the terrorist attack.

In Sydney and Wollongong, vigils are also being organised by pro-Palestinian groups, in a move criticised on Tuesday by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry and NSW Premier Chris Minns.