Israel shuts Gaza crossings again Wednesday for Oct. 7 anniversary
Israel will close Gaza crossings and seal off the West Bank again Wednesday, the third anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack, after a first closure Monday. No new aid enters Gaza on closure days. UN chief António Guterres said Tuesday the year-old ceasefire has not brought security or enough aid.
Israel will close the crossings into Gaza and impose a general closure on the West Bank on Wednesday, Oct. 7, the third anniversary of the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel. The same closure ran Monday. Israel's military aid agency, COGAT, said no humanitarian aid will enter Gaza on those days. Aid already moved through the Kerem Shalom crossing can still be picked up on the Gaza side.
COGAT said the two days should not affect conditions in Gaza. It has said about 1.78 million tons of food entered Gaza from October 2025 through June 2026.
The United Nations sees a bigger gap. "Last year's ceasefire brought some relief. But it has yet to deliver security, adequate humanitarian assistance or a credible path to recovery and peace," Secretary-General António Guterres said Tuesday. "It is time for the ceasefire to become permanent," he added.
Violence has not stopped. The Palestinian news agency WAFA said an Israeli drone strike killed one person near a park in Gaza City on Tuesday, and others were hurt in Gaza City and Khan Younis. Gaza's Health Ministry says 1,454 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire began on Oct. 10, 2025, Anadolu reports.
Israel held its official memorial day on Monday, set by the Hebrew calendar. Flags dropped to half-staff at 6:29 a.m., the minute the attack began. Two state ceremonies were held at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem. The army's chief of staff, Eyal Zamir, vowed to investigate what went wrong and make sure the lessons are put to use.
Wednesday's events are led by families. A minute of silence is planned for 6:29 a.m. Families of those killed at the Nova music festival gather at 6:29 p.m. at the Re'im memorial site, and a national ceremony by Oct. 7 families follows at 9:15 p.m.
Guterres noted the Oct. 7 attack killed more than 1,200 people in Israel, and 251 people were taken hostage. Palestinian figures say Israel's war in Gaza has killed more than 74,000 people.
What we know: Gaza crossings close again Wednesday, with no new aid that day.
What we don't: Whether the ceasefire moves to its next stage.
Where outlets agree The Jerusalem Post and the Palestinian Information Center both report Israel ordered Gaza and West Bank crossings closed on Oct. 5 and Oct. 7, with no humanitarian aid entering Gaza.
Where they differ COGAT says the two-day closures will not hurt Gaza's humanitarian situation, while Guterres says aid still falls short and must be allowed in at scale.